KGA Kieseritsky, Berlin Defence, 6.Bc4
KGA: Kieseritsky (Variation of the King’s Gambit Accepted)
Definition
The Kieseritsky is one of the most combative branches of the King’s Gambit Accepted (KGA). Its canonical move order is:
1. e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5
Named after the 19th-century French master Lionel Kieseritzky, the line features a race between White’s lead in development and Black’s extra pawn plus kingside space.
Typical Move Order & Key Ideas
- 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 – The King’s Gambit Accepted.
- 3.Nf3 – Stops 3…Qh4+. 3…g5 defends the f-pawn.
- 4.h4 g4 – The hallmark pawn-lunge. Black chases the knight; White hopes the advanced pawn becomes a target.
- 5.Ne5 – Central outpost, eyes f7 and g4, leaves the f-pawn en prise.
If Black tries 5…Nf6, the romantic 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5 Bd6 8.d4 often leads to wild complications where both kings are exposed.
Strategic Themes
- Development vs. Material – White sacrifices a pawn (sometimes two) for rapid piece activity and open lines toward Black’s king.
- King Safety – Black’s king frequently stays in the centre because castling kingside is dangerous with pawns on f4–g4–g5.
- e5-square – White’s knight on e5 anchors many tactical motifs, including sacrifices on f7 and g4.
- Transition to Endgame – If Black survives the attack, extra material and connected g- and f-pawns can dominate an endgame.
Historical & Notable Games
- Anderssen – Kieseritzky, “The Immortal Game,” London 1851 Although it actually featured the King’s Gambit Declined, this legendary brilliancy immortalised Kieseritzky’s name.
- Spassky – Fischer, Mar del Plata 1960 Spassky crushed Fischer with a dazzling kingside assault, inspiring renewed interest in the Kieseritsky line.
Interesting Facts
- Steinitz once called the King’s Gambit “unsound,” yet modern engines show that the Kieseritsky is only marginally worse for White with best play.
- Kieseritzky’s own results with his namesake line were mixed; he lost several miniature games when opponents found precise defensive resources.
Berlin Defence (of the Ruy Lopez)
Definition
The Berlin Defence arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6. Sometimes nicknamed “the Berlin Wall,” it is renowned for its solidity and endgame-oriented nature.
Typical Continuations
- 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 – The classical “Berlin Endgame.”
- 4.d3 – The Anti-Berlin, avoiding early queen exchanges.
- 4.Nc3 – The Berlin Classical, keeping more tension.
Strategic Significance
- Early Queen Exchange – In the main line, queens come off on move 8, steering the game toward a minor-piece struggle where Black’s king walks to e8-f8.
- Structure – White keeps the bishop pair and a pawn majority on the kingside; Black enjoys an ultra-solid pawn chain (c7-d6-e5) and easy piece coordination.
- Modern Fashion – After Vladimir Kramnik used it to neutralise Garry Kasparov in the 2000 World Championship match (+0 =4 -0 as Black), the Berlin became a mainstay at elite level.
Classic Encounters
- Kasparov – Kramnik, WCh 2000 (Games 1, 3, 5) Kramnik’s Berlin held firm, convincing many super-GM’s to add it to their repertoires.
- Carlsen – Anand, WCh 2014 Game 11 A tense Anti-Berlin where Carlsen ground out a win to clinch the title.
Interesting Facts
- The Berlin was considered “old-fashioned” for most of the 20th century; its revival is a textbook example of computer-aided opening re-evaluation.
- Despite its drawish reputation, many decisive results have appeared in recent years as players test new pawn breaks like …h5-h4 or …f5.
6.Bc4 (Fischer–Sozin Attack vs. the Najdorf Sicilian)
Definition
In the Sicilian Najdorf, the move 6.Bc4 is an aggressive alternative to the more common 6.Be3 or 6.Bg5. The standard sequence is:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4
It is called the Fischer–Sozin Attack after Bobby Fischer, who employed it frequently, and Veniamin Sozin, the Russian theoretician who analysed it in the 1930s.
Main Ideas
- Targeting f7 – The bishop on c4 eyes the vulnerable f7-square, often combined with Ng5 or Qf3 to create mating threats.
- Rapid Development – White delays or omits Be2/Bg2, seeking an early kingside assault before Black finishes queenside development.
- Pawn Storms – Typical pawn lever is f2-f4-f5, cracking open e6 and f7.
Critical Black Replies
- 6…e6 – The main line. After 7.Bb3 b5 8.0-0 Bb7, play resembles a Scheveningen with colours reversed.
- 6…Qc7 – The Velimirović System, preparing …e6 without blocking the queen’s diagonal.
- 6…g6 – The Perenyi or Dragon-style setup, fianchettoing the dark-squared bishop to blunt Bc4.
Illustrative Game
Fischer – Geller, Curaçao Candidates 1962 Fischer unleashed a thematic sacrifice on e6:
Strategic & Historical Notes
- Fischer scored +8 =3 -0 with 6.Bc4 in top-level play from 1958-1965, boosting its popularity among attacking players.
- Modern engines show the line to be theoretically sound for both sides, leading to rich, double-edged positions that still appear frequently in rapid and blitz.
- When White castles queenside instead of kingside (with Qe2 and 0-0-0), the position can transpose into the ferocious English Attack pawn storms seen in other Najdorf branches.