English Chess Forum

I mean the Arafat Gambit. A gambit should have some benefit, usually a lead in development, however short-lived that may be. If you are just dropping a pawn for nothing in return, I don't think the term gambit is the best. 1. e4 f5 isn't a gambit as far as I know.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:19 pm

I mean the Arafat Gambit. A gambit should have some benefit, usually a lead in development, however short-lived that may be. If you are just dropping a pawn for nothing in return

Clearly not everyone shares your opinion, since a majority of the serious players who have faced it over the board seem to have declined it.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:19 pm

e4 f5 isn't a gambit as far as I know

Why not? It can certainly be argued it isn't a very good one, but that's a different thing entirely

Well I always thought a gambit must have some perceived benefit at the time of discovery otherwise it shouldn't be a gambit. 1. e4 f5 2. exf5 g5 is not a gambit. Nor would 1.e4 d5 2. exd5 c6 3. bxc6 Nf6 4. cxb7 e6 5. bxa8=Q Bc5, be classified as a gambit either.

Has there been an instance of a so-called gambit being stripped of its title for being too theoretically unsound?

If I recall, in 'The Complete Chess Addict' the rather pejoratively titled 'Irish Gambit' makes an appearance.

Nick Burrows wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:01 pm

National Master Robert Reynolds, Grandmaster Hellers, Grandmaster Nick DeFirmian, Master Tim McGrew have also played this gambit.

Nick confirms that NM Robert Reynolds introduced this idea in Santa Barbara in the 1960s, where it attracted his name. His own attempts to play it suffered a setback when Larry Christiansen, a regular sparring partner, simply refused to continue the game, saying that it was an affront to chess.

He has a point though, some 'so-called' gambits do look downright stupid. I played in the Nottingham tournament in 1993 and some guy played 'The Paris Gambit' which was just downright daft.

As much as I love gambits with black and white - I'll be tempted in the original position to throw in 2,,,c5.

The Halloween Gambit is the only one I ever play, and only sometimes.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:30 pm

If I recall, in 'The Complete Chess Addict' the rather pejoratively titled 'Irish Gambit' makes an appearance.

The originator on their deathbed (supposedly) "I didn't see that the pawn was defended"

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:32 pm

Was it by any chance played by a Palestinian at an Olympiad?

A major drawback of the opening is that Black can avoid the critical 2 ... Nxe4 by playing 2 ... d6. I imagine that that would be more likely after 1. d4, Nf6; 2. e4 than after 1. e4, Nf6; 2. d4.

Actually Arafat Gambit was founded and played by my father Abdelmalik Arafat, (Jordanian, originally from Palestine) who was one of the founders of the Arab Chess Federation in 1975 and also the Royal Jordanian Chess Federation in 1973. This opening as I remember was somehow derived from another opening and Abdelmalik Arafat modified it and played it against one of the world champion IN 1970's and won the game.
For your information, Abdelmalik Arafat passed away in 2016.
We will be very glad if someone would help in publishing this (Arafat Gambit) in the Wikipedia.

Thank you
Osama Abdelmalik Arafat

If I was Mr Arafat I wouldn’t be in any hurry to have my name pinned to this opening.

Andrew Martin wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:34 am

If I was Mr Arafat I wouldn’t be in any hurry to have my name pinned to this opening.

As Mr Arafat has passed away I can see no reason why his name shouldn't be linked to this for posterity. I am sure that he would appreciate that his name lives on along with many other greater chess players who have had variations named after them. A cursory glance at a chess database reveals that Abdel Malik Arafat did indeed employ this opening - perhaps someone can add one of the games to this thread?

At a quick glance, only game I can see is a loss in the following game

[Event "Dubai ol (Men)"] [Site "Dubai"] [Date "1986.11.29"] [Round "13"] [White "Arafat, Abdel Malik"] [Black "Sammut Briffa, Peter"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A45"] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "1986.11.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "14"] [EventCountry "UAE"] [Source "ChessBase"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. e4 Nxe4 3. Bd3 Nf6 4. Nf3 d5 5. c3 e6 6. Bg5 c5 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Qa4 Bxb5 9. Qxb5+ Qd7 10. Na3 a6 11. Qb6 Qc6 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. Qxc6+ Nxc6 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Nc2 Ne5 16. Nxe5 fxe5 17. b4 Bd6 18. O-O Rc8 19. a3 Rxc3 20. Ne3 Ke7 21. Rfb1 Rhc8 22. Nd1 Rd3 23. a4 Rc2 24. Ne3 Rcc3 25. b5 a5 26. Rb2 Ra3 27. Rba2 Rxa2 28. Rxa2 Bc5 29. Nf1 Rd1 30. g4 Rd4 31. h3 Rd3 32. Kg2 e4 33. Ng3 e3 34. fxe3 Rxe3 35. h4 Ra3 36. Rxa3 Bxa3 37. Kf3 f6 38. Ne2 Bd6 39. Nd4 Be5 40. Nb3 b6 41. Nc1 h6 42. Nd3 Kd6 43. h5 Bc3 44. Ke3 e5 45. Ke2 Bd4 46. Kd2 Bg1 47. Kc3 Bh2 48. Nf2 e4 49. Nd1 Be5+ 50. Kb3 Bd4 51. Kc2 Ke5 52. Kd2 Kf4 53. Ke2 Kxg4 54. Ne3+ Bxe3 55. Kxe3 Kxh5 56. Kd4 Kg4 57. Kxd5 e3 58. Kc6 e2 59. Kxb6 e1=Q 60. Ka6 Qb4 61. b6 0-1

Abdel Malik Arafat v Nigel Chudleigh - Luzern Olympiad October 1982 which was a win for White.