The Grob. Bring it back

[Kevin O'Rourke]

Anyone like the Grob opening? Found it to be a nice tactical opening with many traps especially against unsuspecting opponants who like to pawn grab. If it gets to tough I bail out in a queenside castle move. Would like to hear from anyone who uses it in classical games and league matches.
Appreciate that when things go wrong, they go badly wrong.

k

[IM Jack Rudd]

It doesn't have much going for it except the traps, though, does it? If I just develop naturally, what is your plan?

[Kevin O'Rourke]

It doesn't have much going for it except the traps, though, does it? If I just develop naturally, what is your plan?

panic. Get tactical. Offer a draw.

[Jonathan Bryant]

It doesn't have much going for it except the traps, though, does it? If I just develop naturally, what is your plan?

panic. Get tactical. Offer a draw.

That’s an improvement on Hou Yifan's, at least.

[JustinHorton]

You know rather than "tactical openings", I reckon we'd be well advised to learn how to play dull openings for a win.

[Kevin O'Rourke]

just for variety. normally play the Lopez or Piano

[Michael Farthing]

Oh I do like people who use the proper names!

[Kevin O'Rourke]

the Giucoco and the Spannish?

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Oh I do like people who use the proper names!"

Me too, but opening nomenclature does vary a lot, especially from country to country. I recall about 50 years ago, the argument about what to call the Pirc/Robatsch/Antal/Kotov/Modern.

I found an interesting TN against the Grob some years ago, for some reason I don't get to use it much. The subject matter is an opportunity to mention that Pete and Aileen Ball used to play 1.g4 all the time, and one opponent had black against both of them one day.

"How did you get on?", enquired a well-wisher.
"I've been Grobbed by the Balls."

[Kevin O'Rourke]

hehe

[Roger de Coverly]

It doesn't have much going for it except the traps, though, does it?

I discovered a little while back that what I had thought to be a trap is completely OK.

so 1. g4 d5 2. Bg2 Bxg4 3. c4 c6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Qb3 is actually OK, the defence line being 5. .. Nf6 6. Qxb7 Nbd7 and Black is fine.

(edit) I should add that's because of a tactic. 7. Bxd5 would be met by 7 .. Rb8. 8 Qc6 is the only square to defend the Bishop, but now comes 8. .. Rc8 pinning the Queen to Rxc1 mate. (/edit)

I even once had this lined up for Basman, who had played 2. Bg2 in the first round, but he played his usual 2. h3.

[John Upham]

Camberley Chess Club has Prof. Gordon Birch who has played the Grob and the Borg since the 1970s.

I did cause him to fall off his chair when I played the Romford Gambit (Improved).

[LawrenceCooper]

It doesn't have much going for it except the traps, though, does it? If I just develop naturally, what is your plan?

I did once coach a player at the European (or World) Schools who played 1 g4 as white and 1...a6 as black every round. It wasn't too big a surprise that I struggled to find games of the opponents in these lines

[Neil Graham]

just for variety. normally play the Lopez or Piano

I understand Russ Conway used to play the Piano - though I can't find any of his games on Chessbase.

[Joey Stewart]

There is no reason for anybody not to play the grob still, sure you are unlikely to convince the likes of magnus carlsen to take it up for the amusement of the chess playing public, but that does not mean it is an unplayable opening which can often reach main line theory by transposition.