Chess Improvement

Does this mean that current theory frowns upon 7. e5 (instead of 0-0)? I’ve always played 7. e5 (7… Nxe5; 8. NxN Bxe5; 9. Bxf7ch KxB; 10. Qd5ch).

Also, I’ve taken a look at the analysis of the fianchetto line in the Morra gambit, and I have a question for any interested members of the group: why the time-wasting maneuver with 8… Ne5?

For those of you who haven’t read the original message, it gives a short game beginning: 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 g6 6. Bc4 Bg7 7. O-O d6 8. Ng5 Ne5, and from there he continues on with 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. f4 Nc6 11. Bc4 Nh6. It’s that last move that raised my eyebrows.

Since Black can play Nh6 at any time, including at move 8, why not play it right away? Alternatively, why not block off the Bc4’s diagonal by playing 8… e6, which also has the benefit of reinforcing the f5-square?

Examining those two ideas in turn:

1) 8… Nh6 9. f4 0-0 10. f5 Ne5 11. Bb3 Nhg4 when I think Black is pretty much OK due to the very strong defensive Ne5. (If White isn’t careful, eliminating the e5-Knight could be more trouble than it’s worth: 12. Bf4, for example, loses the exchange: 12… Qb6+ 13. Kh1 Nf2+ 14. Rxf2 Qxf2 -+.)

I should also point out that if White takes on g6, Black will just respond
hxg6; more on that shortly.

2) 8… e6, which at first glance was the move I would prefer, turns out to be markedly inferior to 8… Nh6 and really shouldn’t be played. Black’s castling is delayed AND his d6-pawn is vulnerable; which does look a little sharper than 8… Nh6 because the d6-pawn is vulnerable, plus the e6 pawn’s function of shielding White’s Bishop from hitting f7 is more illusory than real. For instance:, (8… e6) 9. f4 Nh6 10. f5 and if 10… 0-0, 11. fe should win for White.

Obviously, it’s likely that the line I gave for 8… Nh6 above isn’t best play for both sides, because I just wanted to show what happens if White goes for an immediate f4-f5 push. But I do think 8… Nh6 is a stronger challenge to White’s play than Gentle’s … Ne5.

If anyone wants to take a more in-depth look at the position after 8… Nh6 (or any of my analysis, obviously), they’re more than welcome to– heck, I’d be much obliged.

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