Learn 3 Ways To Improve Your Chess Results
FREE Masterclass ►
Take Your Chess Skills To The Next Level With High-Quality Courses
Learn here ►
💰💲 Join the RCA Affiliate Program, promote our courses, and get 50% commission –
🔹 Portsmouth Gambit (Smirnov Gambit) Playlist –
In this video lesson, GM Igor Smirnov will teach you the Portsmouth Gambit (we call it the Smirnov Gambit) which he has discovered recently. It is a tricky chess opening for White against the Sicilian Defense which happens after the opening moves: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.b4.
It is a variant of the Wing gambit. White sacrifices the b4-pawn for a semi-open b-file and sometimes an open c-file, along with control of the center and quick development. This also frees up the a1–h8 diagonal. If Black declines the gambit, White has the threat of bxc5, or even sometimes b5.
In contrast to the regular Wing gambit, after 3…cxb4, White will play 4. d4. In many positions d5 is a threat, forcing the knight to either go to a5 or back to b8.
▬▬▬▬▬▬
► Chapters
00:00 Portsmouth Gambit, Sicilian Defense
01:29 General opening idea behind 3.b4
03:07 Unknown opening to surprise your opponents
06:29 Line-1: If Black plays 3…cxb4
07:40 Line-1.1: If Black plays 4…d6
09:13 Aggressive style of playing in this gambit
14:00 Line-1.2: If Black plays 4…e6
20:30 If Black plays Ne5 after c3
25:17 Conclusion: White wins in many lines
📗 Free chess courses –
#GMSmirnov #SicilianDefense #ChessGambit #ChessOpenings
14:35 Nxc3 Qxc3+ ; Bd2 will save also rook and while loses only 2 points.
Tony
whole varianton doesnt make any sense. Black simply take 3…Nxb4 4.c3 Jc6 5.d4 d5. It is just like caro-kann but with extra pawn – so hopeless for white. I know that most of players below 2500 dont understand openings at all. What a shame
in the variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 b4 cxb 4 d4 e6 5 d5 Qf6 6 c3 Ne5 7 Be2 Nxf3+ 8 Bxf3 bxc 9 Qc2, isn't black 2 pawns up and still defending his c pawn with Bb4? I didn't calculate all variations but i dont like white in this position.
its wing gambit!
Well I still have a number of questions on many variations that seem unclear and very sharp, ofcourse in a blitz or a bulet match this opening could prove to be effective, never play it in normal time condition.
Good video.
Fischer used this gambit agains Spassky in 1992. And he won.
Thank you, Igor. Your lessons really raising chess level.
In 1 of the variations with d4 e6 and where the queen takes to rook on a1 black has a strong pawn adventage, how much is this really worth?
Is this 3. b4 still worth playing after 2…d6?
You are a gm and you could beat me no matter my response.. but if I had the ability to pay attention long enough.. I would say that b4 is not good.. I know its not good.. maybe in a blitz it would be fun.. I played b4 against an expert.. got my but sended to a new demention… then got smashed.. b4 game over
Very interesting ideas. I think drawbacks would be the c3, c4 and the Knight at b1. I would play black: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.b4 cxb4 4.d4 d5. When queen is centralized, it would no longer be attacked so easy because the Knight had lost control over c3 square, and the activity of black peaces increase move by move. c3 square is very anoying, I would take advantage of this keeping a pawn at b4, playing a5 eventually, and playing the rook at c file. Moreover, I would try to put a knight at b5 square.
Excellent video :3
Is this not the wing gambit?
I bring to the attention of GM Igor Smirnov and the viewers that GM Roman Dzindzichashvili made a video on the wing gambit and readers can watch it here: http://www.chess.com/video/player/the-anti-sicilians—part-3-the-wing-gambit. He also discusses the delayed wing gambit which is what GM Igor Smirnov is showing here. This gambit may work on unprepared players but at a slightly stronger level this seems to be dubious. So it is one GM's opinion against another. Viewers may decide what they want to do.
To those talking about wing gambit: Smirnov clearly explains this is not a wing gambit at 4:26 …
It's called "Portsmouth Gambit".
white doesn't win blacks queen:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. b4 cxb4 4. d4 e6 5. d5 Qf6 6. c3 bxc3 7. dxc6 c2 8. Qxc2 Qxa1 9. e5 bxc6 10. Bc4 Rb8 11. Bb3 Bb4+ 12. Kd1 Ba6 13. Bb2 Bd3
My preference against the Sicilian now is 2.Bc4, and if 2…Nc6 (or 2…a6) then 3.Bxf7+! Kxf7 4.Qh5+, followed by 5.Qxc5. After trying this line on spec and winning my first couple of games with it I studied it more closely and realized that the position is very promising for White in the long run on account of Black's Pawn structure being divided into 3 islands compared to White's one (in addition to immediate tactical possibilities against Black's exposed King – for instance, if 5…d6 then 6.Qc3 Bg7 7.Qb3+; and Black can't interpose the Bishop without dropping the b Pawn). So it's a case of Divide and conquer. If White is able to deploy his Pawns effectively he can potentially prevent any Black Pawn breaks; for example by putting White's Pawns on c3 and f3 and advancing the rest to the 4th rank. If Black pushes any Pawn to the 4th rank then, White simply pushes rather than exchanging Pawns in most cases so that Black's Pawns all end up as weaknesses and fixed targets for White to maneuver against, which fact amply compensates White for the positional piece sacrifice on move 3 – he already has 2 Pawns for the piece, and will gain full material compensation as soon as one more Black Pawn falls – and following the loss of any of his 3 Pawn islands, Black will then be doomed by the strength of White's advancing united unbroken Pawn front. This is how the scenario should play out if White plays his cards right and manages to avoid mistakes, and since adopting this line I've enjoyed many crushing victories, winning most of my games with it – now that I've gained a better grasp of the principles involved and have had some practice with it, my handling of this line is improving and it's proving to be 100% sound and tenable if not indeed ultimately winning for White; in addition to having the optimal shock value as an opening surprise weapon against an unprepared opponent.
One more footnote here worth mentioning is that after 2…b6, the move 3.Bf7+ at first glance looks even better for White because after the forced 3… Kf7 4.Qh5+ g6, 5.Qd5+ gives White a double attack on Black's King and Queen Rook. However, on further analysis this line proves to be not good for White, because his Queen ends up getting trapped and lost on a8 – with accurate play on Black's part.
And so finally, the question is now raised after 1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 Nc6, whether or not the move 3.b4?! is worthy of consideration in this case – or even playable (after 2.Bc4 instead of 2.Nf3)?
In response to a comment left below – I believe I have found the ideal reply to the Smith Morra Gambit, which is: 2…g5!! – with an ultra cunning transposition to the wicked deadly Macho Grob! (Find "Deep Book" at Cup of Chess for sample games on this line; it's page 3 of my 3 page opening repertoire for both colors. Also look up Deep Book1, Deep Book2, etc, etc. for more casual sample games on this line and the rest of my invincible opening repertoire than you can shake a stick at as well. And more on the way every day!)
Igor Smirnov, you are a great chess teacher and your gambit is a very useful weapon for a suprise weapon. Thank you.
can you create a video with 1st move d4
Ginger GM plays this everyday.
I already played that against the sicilian many times
Thamks, its so interesting
I really like this gambit, it's really good in blitz since black can't di what he usually does and then makes mistakes. If you want to see an average lvl game blitz from this opening, check this out. https://lichess.org/NO68rY9Z/white#41
what to do when1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.b4 cb4 4.d4 g6?!
If d5 then Bg7!
Really great videos about b3 and b6.
Do you know what im not a good player and i struggled in openings, especially against e4 andalso my d4 was not so good.
But after the preparation of the owen defence and this kind of reverse its like i now play against 1550 Elo players and they are down near a pawn after 10 moves in average.
They just dont know it, regulary make bad moves and i know at least to move 10 or so what to do.
So now its like im a 1600 player in the opening and 1400 after it.
Funny, with b3 i really regulary win the pawn and there are other threads, some just play e4 orsomething for ex today and engine later gavem me +1.4 after 7 moves.
Im very poor in tactics, so your approach to get into simple positions have so much value.
Sometimes engine calculate even, but you have a supercomplicated positions and no realy plan, thanks.
So now i reached the 1500 Elo, yes.
I love ur that series amirnov gambit variations..
Can you upload more video on this series..
From 16:34 , if we play bishop bR3 prevents white castle and black has idea to keep bishop in bB4/5 and force an escape route for queen..
0:00 – Intro
5:30 – Ideas behind opening
6:25 – Options for black
7:00 – cxd d6
14:00 – cxd e6
Great! a nice new way to attack the Sicilian!
I know this is more for blitz and rapid but your lines against d6 aren't looking very compelling. Black can often afford to lose the g7 pawn to get good development. After 10.c4 just e6 11.d6 Nd7 12.Bxg7 Rg8 13.Bxf8 Kxf8 soon black will play Qb6 and win the d pawn or get a favorable Q trade. Can you recommend anything other than Qd4 or c4 earlier?
I find this new gambit♨️♨️ of yours very interesting. Surely will try Suprise my oppenant with it especially in Blitz and Rapid. Easy to understand your explanations. Thanks😁😁
I love this presentation and you are justified in naming this the Smirnov Gambit. I call the Sicilian, 'The Labyrinth' since there are simply no ends to the variations; hence, begging the question, What if black doesn't play 2..Nc6? At the highest levels, 2.d6 (the Najdorf) is a whole school of practice. Of course, 2..e6 has many possibilities (See 'Dangerous Weapons: The Sicilian'). So, even though this gambit is absolutely sound, unless one is a real champion of Sicilian theory, I say why bother?
a very big thank u master smirnov a big knowledge for me for sharing wonderful ideas like me that is not member of you only following your videos and i study it well specially your crushing the king i really like it more power master to your future video
Great.. thanks.. . your teaching are simple and powerful !!!
I can't understand these heathen
24:19 but d5 immediately, and isn't the queen overloaded?
You didn't show queen a5
Who else likes when Smirnov says, take on 'the' b4, attacking the knight on 'the' d5.
► Chapters
00:00 Portsmouth Gambit, Sicilian Defense
01:29 General opening idea behind 3.b4
03:07 Unknown opening to surprise your opponents
06:29 Line-1: If Black plays 3…cxb4
07:40 Line-1.1: If Black plays 4…d6
09:13 Aggressive style of playing in this gambit
14:00 Line-1.2: If Black plays 4…e6
20:30 If Black plays Ne5 after c3
25:17 Conclusion: White wins in many lines
Had this done on me and now I want a smirnoff
Man, talk about some fascinating ideas!
If black moves e6 and white moves d5 what if exd5 how will you handle that and what lines you will play ?
Good
Well explained ❤