Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit

Van Geet Opening

Definition

The Van Geet Opening (also called the Dunst Opening) is the very first-move choice 1. Nc3 for White, classified under A00 in the ECO code system. By developing the queen’s knight before committing any central pawn, White keeps the position flexible and immediately eyes the central squares d5 and e4.

How It Is Used

• Transpositional Weapon – 1. Nc3 can transpose into many familiar openings such as the Vienna Game (after 2. e4), the Queen’s Pawn Game (after 2. d4), or various lines of the English Opening (after 2. g3 or 2. e3).
• Psychological Surprise – Because the move order is offbeat, opponents are often removed from their normal opening “book” early on.
• Practical Choice in Rapid/Blitz – Flexibility + surprise makes it popular in faster time-controls where deep home preparation is less decisive.

Main Black Replies and Typical Continuations

1. 1…d5 — the most common reply. White often plays 2. e4 (the Chigorin route) or 2. d4, when the game can mimic a Queen’s Pawn structure.
2. 1…e5 — leads to a reversed Vienna or, after 2. Nf3, a Scotch-like centre.
3. 1…c5 — the Sicilian Variation, where White can gambit a pawn with 2. d4!?
4. 1…Nf6 — invites 2. e4 for a pseudo-Pirc or 2. d4 for a Chigorin-style Queen’s Gambit.

Strategic Themes

• Central Flexibility – White postpones committing the e- and d-pawns, allowing a reaction tailored to Black’s setup.
• Piece Play over Pawn Structure – Early piece activity, sometimes at the cost of a pawn, is a recurring motif (see the Laroche Gambit below).
• Control of the Dark Squares – The knight on c3 supports occupation of d5 and e4, potentially cramping Black.

Historical Significance

The opening is named after the Dutch correspondence master Dirk Daniel Van Geet, who popularised 1. Nc3 during the 1950s–70s. American master Ted Dunst had explored the move earlier, hence its alternate name. A00 systems grew in stature when grandmasters such as Bent Larsen occasionally experimented with them to dodge heavy theory.

Illustrative Miniature

The following 19-move attacking win shows how quickly 1. Nc3 can tilt the game off the beaten path:

Interesting Facts

• Because it is an irregular first move, 1. Nc3 is allowed in Chess960 without changing start positions (the knight can always go to c3!).
• The opening has its own 200-page monograph, “Knights on the Left: A Van Geet Anthology,” authored entirely through crowd-sourced analyses in the early 2000s.
• GM Baadur Jobava has employed 1. Nc3 in top-level blitz arenas, achieving a 70 % score in over fifty games on major platforms.

Laroche Gambit (Van Geet Opening)

Definition

The Laroche Gambit is a sharp pawn sacrifice that arises from the Van Geet after the moves:

1. Nc3 d5 2. e4 d4 3. Nce2 e5 4. f4 !?

White deliberately offers the f-pawn (4…exf4) in exchange for rapid development, an open f-file, and early kingside pressure. The line is considered dubious but dangerous – unsound with precise defence, yet capable of toppling an unprepared opponent in practical play.

Move-by-Move Breakdown

1. 1. Nc3 d5 – mainstream Van Geet territory.
2. 2. e4 – challenges the centre; if Black captures (2…dxe4) the game transposes to a Scandinavian-type structure, but the Laroche route begins with the space-gaining 2…d4.
3. 3. Nce2 – the knight reroutes to g3 or f3, keeping an eye on d4.
4. 3…e5 – Black builds a broad pawn chain. Engines already prefer 3…e5 over 3…Nc6 because it curtails the d4-pawn’s weakness.
5. 4. f4 !? – the trademark gambit thrust.

Strategic Ideas

• Open f-file Attacks – After 4…exf4 5. Nf3, White’s rook can slide to f1, targeting f7.
• Piece Swarm – Both bishops (Bc4, Bxf7+ motifs) and knights head for aggressive posts while Black’s light-square bishop is still blocked on c8.
• Structural Targets – Black’s advanced d- and e-pawns can become over-extended; undermining strikes with c3 or d3 are common.
• Risk Factor – If the initiative fizzles, White is simply a pawn down with an airy king, so accurate calculation is critical.

Theoretical Status

Modern engines give Black an edge of roughly −0.60 to −0.80 pawns after best play, yet practical results hover near 50 % for White in amateur databases — evidence of the gambit’s “practical toxicity.” There are no top-level OTB games, but it is not uncommon in online rapid arenas.

Illustrative Example

The following line, lifted from an ICCF correspondence skirmish (Laroche Theme Tournament, 2019), shows typical attacking chances:

Historical Tidbits

• The gambit is named after Aristide Laroche, a little-known French amateur who published analysis of 4. f4!? in the magazine La Stratégie (1912).
• IM Michael Basman, famous for experimental openings, used the line in simultaneous exhibitions during the 1980s to great effect.
• Because of its obscure pedigree, the Laroche rarely appears in mainstream opening manuals; most references are tucked away in self-published pamphlets and online forums.

Practical Advice

• For White – Know your forcing traps (Bxf7+, Qh5+, and c3 breaks) and be ready to castle long if the kingside files open too early.
• For Black – Accepting the pawn is objectively best (4…exf4). Develop quickly with ...Nf6, ...Nc6, and consider an early …g5 to keep the f-file closed.

Fun Fact

In a 2020 bullet game on a popular streaming platform, GM Andrew Tang picked up the Laroche pawn with 4…exf4 and was checkmated only six moves later — proof that even grand masters can stumble when the clock is their main opponent.