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My easy answer to the Halloween Gambit as black.


If you don't like too complicated openings and you fear the Halloween Gambit, I've found a very playable line. There are much better lines that keep your material advantage, of course, but they aren't so easy and you can easily get in trouble.
en.lichess.org/study/EYHPyISx

What do you guys think?
That's a reasonable way of playing if black is content with equality.

I seem to remember that treatment being recommended by Schiller something like 20 years ago.

That's part of the problem with the Halloween Gambit. Black has quite a few ways to bail out of any complications if black is happy with equality.

Having said that, there are also a few ways of playing that are nearly full-fledged refutations, and if I faced this in a tournament game I'd probably opt for one of those rather than one of the easy equality lines.

Still, if you just want to play a game of chess, that line you're showing is one decent way of getting that.

Cheers!
Yes, you're right. We must prefer the best lines.
For a fun casual game, maybe 4... Nxe4 is also playable?
Not really playable. The engine gives white a considerable advantage after that move. Besides, it leads to a position that is even more difficult than the main line.
Very interesting, thanks. Do you know why it's called that?

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