Reti Opening; Dutch; Lisitsyn Gambit; Rydel; Bloodgood Gambit

Réti Opening

Definition

The Réti Opening is a hyper-modern opening system that usually begins 1. Nf3 and most commonly continues 1…d5 2. c4. Named after the Czechoslovak-Austrian grandmaster Richard Réti, the opening embodies the hyper-modern principle of controlling the centre with pieces and flank pawns rather than by an immediate occupation with central pawns.

Main move-orders

• Pure Réti: 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4
• Réti vs the King’s Indian set-up: 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 (transposing later to Catalan or English structures)
• Réti Gambit: 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. b4 (a wing-pawn sacrifice for rapid development)

Strategic themes

Typical Réti tabiyas feature:

• Fianchettoed bishops on g2 (and sometimes b2) exerting long-range pressure on d5 and e4.
• Delayed or flexible central pawn breaks with d2–d4, e2–e4 or even b2–b4.
• Frequent transpositions to the English Opening, Catalan, Queen’s Gambit Declined or even the Queen’s Indian Defence depending on Black’s replies.

Historical significance

Réti played the line against José Raúl Capablanca at New York 1924, handing the reigning World Champion his first loss in eight years. The game established the respectability of hyper-modern openings at the highest level.

Illustrative miniature

Interesting facts

• The Réti is a favourite “universal” first move of modern elite players such as Magnus Carlsen, who often keeps opening options fluid while studying his opponent’s set-up.
• Because almost any reply after 1. Nf3 can transpose into other openings, many opening books refer to the Réti as a system rather than a fixed sequence of moves.

Dutch Defence (“The Dutch”)

Definition

The Dutch Defence arises after 1. d4 f5. Black immediately stakes out space on the kingside with the f-pawn, seeking dynamic counter-play rather than symmetrical equality. Because the move slightly weakens Black’s own kingside, the Dutch is a double-edged choice that appeals to attacking players.

Principal set-ups

1. Classical Dutch: …e6, …d6, …Nf6, …Be7 and often …O-O. Solid but slightly passive.
2. Stonewall Dutch: …f5, …e6, …d5, …c6 with pawns on dark squares forming a “stone wall.” White squares (e5, c5) become critical strategic points.
3. Leningrad Dutch: …f5, …g6, …Bg7 with a King’s-Indian-style set-up. Black plays for …e5 or …c5 breaks and an eventual kingside assault.

Strategic ideas

• Use the semi-open f-file for rook activity after …f5-f4 or exchanges on f4.
• Timely pawn breaks: …e5 in Leningrad lines, …c5 in Stonewall structures.
• Accepting structural weaknesses (weak e-square, potentially weak kingside dark squares) in return for active piece play.

Historical & modern usage

The Dutch was popularised by Alekhine and Botvinnik, revived in the 1980s by Viktor Korchnoi and Nigel Short, and remains a fighting weapon today. Hikaru Nakamura and Alexander Grischuk have both used the Leningrad Dutch successfully in elite events.

Model game

Short – Korchnoi, Tilburg 1989. After 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. c4 Bg7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Nf3 d6 7. O-O c6 8. Rb1 Na6 9. b4 Qe8 Black’s flexible Leningrad structure eventually gave Korchnoi a powerful kingside initiative and the full point.

Trivia

• The Dutch is one of the few mainstream openings in which Black pushes a rook pawn (the f-pawn) two squares on move one.
• A Dutch Defence with colours reversed (1. f4 by White) is called the Bird’s Opening.

Lisitsyn Gambit (also spelled “Lisitsin”)

Definition

The Lisitsyn Gambit occurs after 1. Nf3 f5 2. e4. White immediately challenges Black’s premature f-pawn advance by offering the e-pawn to open lines and seize the centre. The gambit is named after the Russian master Georgy Lisitsyn (1909-72) who analysed and played it extensively in the 1930s–50s.

Main line

1. Nf3 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Ng5. White’s knight jump targets e4 and f7, leading to sharp play.

Key tactical motifs

• Pressure on the f-file: after 3. Ng5 Nf6 4. d3 exd3 5. Bxd3 White’s pieces flood into the centre.
• The fork trick: lines where 3…d5? 4. d3 exd3 5. Bxd3 leaves Black with lagging development and a shaky king.
• Queenside castling by White is common; Black often struggles to complete development safely.

Theoretical status

The Lisitsyn is objectively risky for White—modern engines give Black equality or more with accurate defence—but its surprise value and unbalanced positions make it a popular practical weapon in rapid and blitz play.

Notable examples

Lisitsyn – Ragozin, USSR 1940: the inventor stunned his opponent with a sacrificial attack culminating in a mating net on the dark squares.

Curiosities

• Because 1…f5 weakens the e8–h5 diagonal, tactical shots like Qh5+ often lurk in Lisitsyn positions.
• Some online databases lump the gambit under A04 (Réti) because it starts 1. Nf3; others classify it under A06 (Dutch vs 1.Nf3).

Rydel Variation (in the Archangelsk Ruy Lopez)

Definition & starting moves

The Rydel Variation is a branch of the Archangelsk Variation of the Ruy Lopez. The critical position is reached after:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. a4 (Rydel’s)

Instead of the more common 7. c3, White immediately chips at Black’s queenside pawn chain.

Strategic goals

• By playing 7. a4 White forces …Rb8 or …Bb7 sooner rather than later, reducing the flexibility of Black’s queenside.
• In some lines White may exchange on b5 and then play Bd5, targeting c6 and f7.
• Black, on the other hand, relies on rapid development and central counterplay with …d5 to justify the exposed queenside pawns.

Historical background

The variation is named after the Polish master Tadeusz Rydel, who analysed the line in the mid-20th century. It gained theoretical traction when featured in Archangelsk grandmaster practice during the 1970s and 80s.

Model continuation

Contemporary relevance

The Rydel is relatively rare at super-GM level but makes regular appearances in correspondence chess, where concrete engine-backed lines have kept it playable for both colours.

Fun fact

ECO categorises the Rydel under code C78, alongside other Archangelsk off-shoots, so students flipping through their opening encyclopaedias may meet it sooner than expected!

Bloodgood Gambit

Definition

The Bloodgood Gambit is an offbeat pawn sacrifice championed by the colourful American master Claude F. Bloodgood II (1937-2001). The most common modern usage arises in the French Defence:

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. f4 (the key gambit move)

Black can accept with 3…dxe4 (entering the gambit proper) or decline with 3…Nf6. The idea is to open the f-file, lure Black’s central pawns forward, and generate a rapid initiative.

Why play it?

• Surprise value: virtually absent from mainstream theory.
• Psychological edge: opponents fall out of book immediately and must solve practical problems at the board.
• Attacking chances: after 3…dxe4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. f5!? the position is already unbalanced.

Theoretical verdict

Objective assessments give Black at least equality—sometimes more—if the defence is accurate. However, in fast time controls the gambit scores respectably because of its tactical mine-fields.

Historical tidbits

Claude Bloodgood, who spent most of his life in prison, was notorious for manipulating his USCF rating to astronomical heights through a closed prison tournament circuit. While his rating antics were controversial, his love for unorthodox gambits left a legacy of creative opening wrinkles, including this pawn sacrifice that now bears his name.

Illustrative game

Bloodgood – M. Fanjoy, Virginia State Championship corr. 1980

Did you know?

• Bloodgood claimed that the gambit’s roots can be traced to the 19th-century Latvian Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5), but “with the colours and tempi reversed.”
• Because it begins with 3. f4, some databases file the line as a Wing Gambit versus the French rather than under Bloodgood’s name.