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King's Pawn Game (C20)
1 e4 e5

Number of games in database: 310
Years covered: 1560 to 2013
Overall record:
   White wins 37.4%
   Black wins 42.3%
   Draws 20.3%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Semion Alapin  24 games
Mike J Surtees  13 games
Somacarana  12 games
John Cochrane  14 games
NN  5 games
Bonnerjee Mohishunder  4 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Charousek vs Englander, 1894
Morphy vs A Bottin, 1858
Ruy Lopez vs G da Cutri, 1560
Napoleon Bonaparte vs The Turk, 1809
Y Rusakov vs Verlinsky, 1947
Adow vs Borissow, 1889
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 page 1 of 13; games 1-25 of 310  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves Year Event/LocaleOpening
1. Ruy Lopez vs G da Cutri 1-09 1560 RomeC20 King's Pawn Game
2. A Salvio vs NN 1-012 1634 StudyC20 King's Pawn Game
3. Harrowby vs T Bowdler 0-154 1788 LondonC20 King's Pawn Game
4. NN vs F von Mauvillon 1-047 1804 CasualC20 King's Pawn Game
5. Napoleon Bonaparte vs The Turk 0-124 1809 SchoenbrunnC20 King's Pawn Game
6. F von Mauvillon vs NN 1-045 1825 corrC20 King's Pawn Game
7. Goteborg vs Stockholm  0-153 1831 crC20 King's Pawn Game
8. G Walker vs Saint Amant 0-132 1836 London m1C20 King's Pawn Game
9. Cochrane vs Staunton 0-136 1842 London m2C20 King's Pawn Game
10. Captain Evans vs Saint Amant  1-024 1843 Great BritainC20 King's Pawn Game
11. Captain Evans vs Saint Amant  ½-½48 1843 LondonC20 King's Pawn Game
12. Morphy vs NN 1-019 1848 New OrleansC20 King's Pawn Game
13. H Buckle vs Staunton  ½-½43 1848 London (consul)C20 King's Pawn Game
14. Alkmaar vs Winkel ½-½45 1852 City MatchC20 King's Pawn Game
15. Rives vs Staunton  0-119 1853 Brussels m1C20 King's Pawn Game
16. Cochrane vs Mohishunder  1-045 1854 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
17. Cochrane vs Mohishunder  1-020 1854 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
18. Cochrane vs Mohishunder 1-028 1854 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
19. Cochrane vs Mohishunder  ½-½49 1855 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
20. Somacarana vs Cochrane  0-141 1856 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
21. Somacarana vs Cochrane  0-149 1856 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
22. Somacarana vs Cochrane ½-½68 1856 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
23. Somacarana vs Cochrane  1-038 1856 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
24. Somacarana vs Cochrane  0-146 1856 CalcuttaC20 King's Pawn Game
25. V Green vs R Brien  ½-½23 1856 McDonnell Chess ClubC20 King's Pawn Game
 page 1 of 13; games 1-25 of 310  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  
 

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jul-14-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  sisyphus: I'm disappointed. For all the many lines covered by C20, most of the kibitzing is devoted to 2.Qh5 and 2.Bb5. There's nothing about the popular 2.d3, only one about 2.Ne2 and 2.c3 each, and nothing about that historical landmark Napoleon's Opening (2.Qf3).
Jul-15-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  MaxxLange: White's game is already in its last throes. What's the point of arguing about 2. c3 vs 2 Qh5 or 2 Nc3?
Jul-30-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  whiteshark: Opening of the Day

<Alapin's Opening <1.e4 e5 2.Ne2>>


click for larger view

Opening Explorer

Jul-14-10  jbtigerwolf: I'm really shocked to find Black outplays White by 40 to 38.5 for e4-e5. Personally I don't like e4, but it can be a weapon against weak or unbooked opponents who play e5.

The argument for 2.Qh5 is interesting. Barring any disaster (a player can dismiss it and quickly play 3...Nf6,oh no!!) I have noted that Black must be VERY careful. White seems to be fairly ok, but closer to equal than he should be (and with best play by Black, perhaps behind). With study it may be ok. An awful move, but we're here to fight a war, not paint masterpieces. Do you use it to pick up a point against a solid 1200 Spanish/Italian player or to give yourself a chance against a 2000 player?

I've noted that a lot of players switch from 1.e4 to 1.d4 to "avoid the Sicilian and Ruy Lopez." Avoiding the Sicilian is fair enough, but if you know your opp is an e5 guy, simply don't play 3.Bb5 you avoid the Ruy... but you have to contend with the Petroff and the Scandinavian, so there is theory to learn.

Perhaps the best approach is to learn the "inferior" black defences and know how to beat them, then with the better ones just fight, play c3 or Nf3 to the Sicilian, then wing it.

But getting back to e4-e5, Black wins more than White (50.5/100), while the same applies for e4-c5 (51.5/100 but with more more draws). e5 is better for wins than c5, being 40/100 to 38/100. The stats are a shock, I must say. I'll look at the stats for d4 now, against d5 and Nf6.

Jul-14-10  jbtigerwolf: When I said 50.5 e4-e5 and 51.5 e4-c5, I meant wins and draws as Black, points out of 100 games.
Jul-14-10  jbtigerwolf: Further to the e4-e5 topic, there's the Centre Game. 1.e4 e5 2.d4. The Danish Gambit I believe it is, at least after 2...exd4 3.c3.

It seems to favour White heavily and is interesting. 55% to 31%. Points out of 100 for White: 61.5.

The Vienna Game is something to get booked up on. 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3. It's 47 to 31 for White and the percentages are pretty good in all the variations; a tough nut to crack.

The funny thing is that the best White percentages for just the first move alone are 1.c4 and 1.d4, but maybe these non 2.Nf3 e4-e5 openings are the way to go.

Jul-15-10  Coolin: The problem with that logic is the sample size and quality of the samples. If you beat someone (as white) in the Ruy Lopez over a 60 move, slow moving game, you are less likely to show it off than you are a brilliant win in the Danish Gambit which involves sacrifice and attack. Furthermore, GMs don't use openings (generally) that involve something other than 2.Nf3, so at the highest level the openings are more or less untested.
Jul-15-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  MaxxLange: I finally got a chance to play the "Lolli" attack.

At the coffee shop thing last night, I was the only chess player who showed, and the only Go player who showed finally suggested that we play chess.

In game 2, I had White: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 Ng5 d5 5 exd5 Nxd5?! 6 d4! Be7? 7 Nxf7

this is supposed to be better than the "Fried Liver Attack", with an immediate 6 Nxf7. Recent theory shows Black doing better than expected, in the Fried Liver

I got a winning position quickly, but the guy then defended well, and it took me a long time to mate him. I'm pretty sure I missed the strongest moves somewhere in there.

Aug-15-10  rapidcitychess: Opening of the day is Alapin attack.
<1.e4 e5 1.Ne2>
<MaxxLange> NM Dan Heisman has a ton of books dedicated to the Lolli. He created the varition, 6...Nxd4 which is a complex piece sacrifice for strong iniative, and often leads to rook sacrifices, with unclear play for both sides.
Aug-16-10  rapidcitychess: <AlexMagnus><1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 f5!? 5.exf5 Nd4 6.Qe4 d6. How is the line going on?> Seems a bit wild, and of course 4...f5 seems inferior to the natural 4...Nf6 but 6.Qd5 seems improves over this line, with the line 6...Qe7 and a good position for black though it is unclear to who the point may go to, though I think black has good practical chances. Black's development is certainly rapid.
Nov-16-10  rapidcitychess: What does everyone think of 1.e4 e5 2.d3?! d5 <Novelty.> 3.f4!? A friend and I analyzed this and found 3...dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 a very intruiging line.

If white plays passively, he will lose due to the weakness of his e pawn and of his king. But the king can be a fighter and go munch on the kingside pawns.

Whaddaya think???

Nov-16-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eric Schiller: <rcc> The Clam! I've played it a bit, sometimes against the Alekhine 1.e4 Nf6 2.d3 e5 3.f4.
Nov-17-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Shams: Of course Eric Schiller knows the name. Well, <rapidcity>, if it has a name it's gotta be sound. What about 2...d5 thought? We'll call that my "Red Tide Defense".
Nov-17-10  rapidcitychess: <Shams>

Well, 1.h4 is called the Ware Opening, so it must be good.

Nov-18-10  rapidcitychess: <Eric>

The main difference there is big. In my line black can through in the ...dxe4 move and blow the center up.

When I suggested 3.f4 I was thinking of the Philidor counter attack only without the knight. Do you have any opinions? Please?

Nov-18-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eric Schiller: <rcc> 3.f4 dxe4 is probably best handled as a gambit with 4.Nc3 and if 4...exd3 then 5.fxe5!?
Feb-21-11  Penguincw: < Opening of the Day> : Alapin's Opening. 1.e4 e5 2.Ne2


click for larger view

Apr-01-11  SamAtoms1980: Opening of the Day: The Parham Attack, 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5

I know this opening by its descriptive name, the "Wayward Queen Attack."

Apr-01-11  SimonWebbsTiger: Confess!

When did you give up 1.e4 e5 2. Qh5 (idea Bf1-c4, Qh5xf7 mate)? I played it alot and won that way as an 8 year old novice for some months (2...Ke7 3. Qxe5 amongst those games). I decided to play 2. Nf3 because I wanted games, not wins.

Apr-01-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  alexmagnus: <I decided to play 2. Nf3 because I wanted games, not wins.>

Hehe. I actually still occasionally play 2. Qh5 (not to mate, just to leave theory) if I get on a longish losing streak. Especially in times when I was unrated it often irritated opponents enough to make them play worse than they usually do. Now that I have my 1600+ they know they are not playing a novice but some still take it too lightheartedly. But as I say, I play it only after losing some games.

Apr-01-11  SimonWebbsTiger: @alexmagnus

I know what you mean. My clubmate has simply lost his mojo. In our team matches, he scored a shocking .5/7 and has done badly elsewhere. I saw him play the Grob in some games. Why? I ask. I am just annoyed at my chess, he replied. Thankfully, he heeded my advice when I said that wouldn't do him any good either.

Apr-01-11  LDJ: <jbtigerwolf> Those percentages on this page are only about 1.e4 e5 games where White doesn't play a move that's in another ECO code, so if White plays an inferior move which doesn't have much theory and variations. That's why the winning percent for Black is so high.
Apr-01-11  Penguincw: < SamAtoms1980: Opening of the Day: The Parham Attack, 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5

I know this opening by its descriptive name, the "Wayward Queen Attack." >

Me too. Example : B Becker vs Kasparov, 2000

Mar-10-12  Penguincw: Opening of the Day

Alapin's Opening
1. e4 e5 2.Ne2


click for larger view

I bet this opening is easily confused with the Alapin (1.e4 <c5 2.c3>).

Apr-01-12  Penguincw: Opening of the Day

The Parham Attack
1.e4 e5 2.Qh5


click for larger view

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