Arafat Gambit

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NickFaulks
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Arafat Gambit

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:02 pm

It goes 1.d4, Nf6 2.e4. I don't need to be told that it's dubious, but has anyone heard it called by this name?

Also works against the Alekhine.
Last edited by NickFaulks on Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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David Sedgwick
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by David Sedgwick » 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.

Nick Burrows
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by Nick Burrows » Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:36 pm

Is anyone really turning down that juicy, free, central pawn?

NickFaulks
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:50 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:32 pm
Was it by any chance played by a Palestinian at an Olympiad?
Yes, and his family think it should officially ( whatever that means ) be named after him. Nobody else seems to have claimed it.
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Nick Burrows
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by Nick Burrows » Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:54 pm

Don't openings get named simply by common useage? Creating a page on Wikipedia, calling it the Arafat Gambit would be a good start..

Nick Burrows
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by Nick Burrows » Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:01 pm

It is also known as The Omega Gambit, Reynolds Gambit, Bo Gambit

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

http://web.archive.org/web/201210141447 ... tPart1.htm

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by Geoff Chandler » Mon Feb 12, 2018 4:34 pm

As Nick mentioned. 1.d4, Nf6 2.e4 is the Omega Gambit.

Apparently 2....Nxe4 3. is the Arafat Variation.

"Is anyone really turning down that juicy, free, central pawn?"

It has cost two opening tempi.
You have an undefended Knight on the board.
You have accepted the responsibility of holding onto a pawn.
You are out of your KID/Nimzo Indian book on move 2.
If you lose to this you will be the butt of jokes from your colleagues.
If you win they will say 'big deal, he gave you a pawn for nothing.'

Best to take the pawn then sac the Knight on f2.

John Hickman
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by John Hickman » Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:18 pm

I did run into 1. Nf3 e5 (followed by 2. Nxe5 Nc6 3. Nxc6 dxc6) in a Rapid game.

No idea if it has a name, but it's like this gambit, but played by Black!

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:39 pm

John Hickman wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:18 pm
No idea if it has a name, but it's like this gambit, but played by Black!
There's also 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nxe5 Nc6 which is sufficiently "respectable" to have been played by the late John Littlewood against Owen Hindle at Hastings. It's safest to just play 4. Nxc6 and play a game where Black has activity and development, but probably not enough for a pawn. For a madhouse there's 4. Qh5 g6 5. Nxg6

Nick Burrows
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by Nick Burrows » Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:40 pm

1.Nf3 g5!! is the Herrstrom Gambit

Your opponent simply played a reverse Omega. Old hat nowadays - it's long since been analysed out to a draw.

NickFaulks
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by NickFaulks » Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:22 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:39 pm
There's also 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nxe5 Nc6
I played this as Black in the last round of a tournament in 1996. The game continued 4.Nxc6 draw agreed. My opponent got his third IM norm and I got my first FIDE rating.
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JustinHorton
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by JustinHorton » Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:51 pm

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MJMcCready
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by MJMcCready » Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:27 pm

I think its pushing it a bit to call that a gambit.

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by Stewart Reuben » Tue Feb 13, 2018 11:06 am

I think the Arafat Gambit should be met by the Gollum Heights Rejoinder
1 d4 Nf6 2 e4 Nxe4 3 f3 Qh4+

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Arafat Gambit

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Tue Feb 13, 2018 1:05 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:27 pm
I think its pushing it a bit to call that a gambit.
What, the Latvian? There are several lines where Black gives up material long term.
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