Budapest Gambit Rubinstein Kornl Richter Gambit
Budapest Gambit
Definition
The Budapest Gambit is an aggressive reply to 1.d4 in which Black immediately challenges the centre with a pawn sacrifice:
Main line: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4
How it is used in chess
- Surprise weapon: Because it is less popular than the Queen’s Gambit or Indian defences, it is often sprung on unsuspecting 1.d4 players.
- Rapid development: Black hassles the e5-pawn, gains tempi on White’s queen-side pieces and often castles quickly.
- Middlegame themes: Piece activity, pressure on e5 and c4, and tactical ideas such as …Bb4+, …Nc6, and sometimes …Qh4.
- Typical pawn structure: Black usually regains the gambit pawn, leading to symmetrical pawn chains but with imbalanced piece activity.
Strategic & historical significance
- Origins: First played in Budapest in 1896 by Adler vs. Wayne. It became a Hungarian trademark opening in the early 20th century.
- Key practitioners: Géza Maróczy, Milan Vidmar, Bent Larsen, and more recently GM Pavel Blatný and IM Andrew Martin (author of a dedicated monograph).
- Theory status: Considered sound but risky. Engines show that best play gives White a small edge, yet over-the-board practical chances are excellent.
Important sub-variations
- 4.Nf3 Rubinstein Variation – solid, returning the pawn later.
- 4.e4 Alekhine Variation – grabs space; extremely sharp.
- 4.Bf4 Adler Variation – protects e5 and develops.
- 3…Ne4 Fajarowicz Gambit – even wilder, ignoring the e5 pawn entirely.
Example game
Vidmar – Tartakower, London 1922: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bf4 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 Qe7 7.e3 Ngxe5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 – Black equalised and later won after a tactical melee.
Interesting facts
- GM Bent Larsen famously used the Budapest to defeat World Champion Tigran Petrosian in Santa Monica 1966.
- Engines initially scoff at 3…Ng4 but practical results in rapid & blitz still favour Black.
Rubinstein
Definition
Akiba Rubinstein (1882-1961) was a Polish grandmaster and end-game virtuoso. In opening terminology, “Rubinstein” usually designates a line that he developed or popularised, for example:
- Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variation: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3
- French Defence, Rubinstein Variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3/Nd2 dxe4
- Budapest Gambit, Rubinstein System: 4.Nf3 against 3…Ng4
How it is used in chess
The name “Rubinstein” signals positions in which:
- White often opts for solid structures, postponing immediate tension.
- Emphasis is on long-term positional play—mirroring Rubinstein’s own style.
- Black typically accepts a slightly cramped but resilient set-up.
Historical impact
Rubinstein was considered a favourite to challenge for the World Championship in 1914, but World War I intervened. His deep opening research, crystal-clear middlegame plans, and legendary rook endings heavily influenced later champions such as Capablanca and Botvinnik.
Illustrative miniature
Rubinstein – Salwe, Łódź 1908 (Nimzo-Indian): Rubinstein demonstrated the power of 4.e3 by slowly outplaying his opponent and finishing with a famous rook-and-pawn ending that is still shown in textbooks.
Interesting anecdotes
- Rubinstein once won five consecutive major tournaments (1911-1912), a feat unmatched until Fischer’s run in the 1970s.
- He was so precise in rook endings that modern tablebases confirm many of his analyses as best play.
Kornl Variation
Definition
The Kornl Variation (sometimes spelled “Kornél”) is a sub-line of the Budapest Gambit that arises after:
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Bc5
How it is used in chess
- Black immediately retreats the checking bishop to c5 to keep pressure on f2 and e3, trying to provoke weaknesses.
- White can chase the bishop with 6.e3 Nc6 7.Bc3 Qe7, leading to a complex, unbalanced middlegame.
- Because the line is rare, it serves as an off-beat weapon that can take theory-heavy d4 players out of book.
Strategic ideas
- If White plays inaccurately, Black obtains enormous piece activity for the gambit pawn.
- Should White consolidate, the extra pawn in the long run may tell—so precise play is essential for both sides.
Origins & naming
The system is attributed to the Hungarian master Ferenc Kornl, who analysed the line in local magazines in the 1920s and used it in Budapest club play. Because his notes circulated only in Hungarian, the name is much less familiar outside Central Europe.
Example fragment
After 8.Qd5 (diagram after the PGN), White targets c5 and g4, illustrating the tactical richness of the variation.
Trivia
- Despite its obscurity, the Kornl Variation scores near 50% for Black in modern online blitz databases.
- GM Judit Polgár employed a related idea (…Bb4+ and …Bc5) in a rapid game vs. Anand, Mainz 2001, citing “old Hungarian analysis.”
Richter Gambit
Definition
The Richter Gambit generally refers to the sacrificial system in the French Defence where White gambits the h-pawn to rip open Black’s kingside:
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 gxf6 7.h4!? (or simply 6.h4!?)
It is named after German tactician Kurt Richter (1900-1969), although it is sometimes rolled into the broader Chatard–Alekhine Attack.
How it is used in chess
- All-out attack: White invests a pawn (and sometimes the exchange) to aim pieces at Black’s weakened g- and h-files.
- Practical weapon: Especially effective in faster time controls where precise defence is hard to find.
- Typical follow-up: Qf3, 0-0-0, Rh3-g3 with sacrifices on g7 or f6.
Strategic & historical notes
- The line flourished in the 1930s-1950s; Richter scored several attacking wins in German championships.
- Later adopted by attackers like Tal and Vaganian in the Soviet era, then revived by English IM Gary Lane in the 1990s.
- Engines now show resourceful holds for Black (…Qd5!, …h5!), yet practical over-the-board results remain double-edged.
Sample attacking win
Tal – Vasiukov, USSR Championship 1964
The Magician of Riga uncorked 6.h4!? and after …h6 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.c3 e5 10.d5 Ne7 11.Qa4+! Bd7 12.Qe4 he sacrificed on e5 and crashed through on h7 a few moves later.
Interesting facts
- Kurt Richter was also co-inventor of the Richter–Rauzer Attack in the Sicilian Defence.
- The gambit is a favourite of many club players because it is easy to learn, hard to face.