Spanish Counter Gambit

[Reg Clucas]

I have been playing the Ruy Lopez for many years, but had never heard of this gambit until last night, when it was played against me. To the uninitiated (which included me until very recently) it begins by Black playing 3...d5?! The first few moves of my game were as follows -

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qc5 6. Qe2 Bd7 7. 0-0 0-0-0 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. Nxe5 Nh6 10. Nxc6 Qxc6 11. d3 Bd6 12. Bg5 f6 13. Be3 Rde8 14. Ne4 Bxh2+ 15. Kxh2 f5 16. f3 fxe4 17. fxe4 Qg6

I eventually won with the extra pawn, but not before coming under some pressure and I feel that I probably missed a stronger continuation, and that my opponent didn't make things as difficult for me in the opening as he could have. However I feel the move 3...d5 must be just plain bad - do others share this view? I can't find any examples of it in master play. I suppose its main value must be surprise - which worked to some extent as I took about an hour over the moves above, leaving me about 15 minutes to get to move 36!

[Mike Truran]

There was a big article on it many years back in CHESS by (I think) Otto Hardy. I believe it's not (quite) as bad as it looks.

[James Coleman]

I've seen it tried before in blitz, can't remember where. There was even a book published on the slightly more reputable (but still dubious)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 d5 ?!

In your game I guess I'd prefer 7.d4 to 0-0 as it keeps the initiative more easily.

[Matt Mackenzie]

I think that 4 Nxe5 pretty much busts it. As James says above, a slightly delayed d5 is a bit less outrageous