(4) Ed Mefford (1592) - John Pedry (1745) [C40]
Kansas Open (5), 07.07.2002
[(Reserve Section)]

By now you know I have an interest in unusual openings. There are several mistakes made in the game, but if anything, I like being able to put a Latvian Gambit in the bulletin. Mr. Pedry ended up tied for 4th place overall in the Reserve with 4.0 points. 1.e4 C40: Latvian and Elephant Gambits 1...e5 2.Nf3 f5








I wanted to show a diagram of this position. Do people actually play this Latvian Gambit? I guess so. What would you as white move? 3.Nc3 wlc-A safe move. It is not going to give white any advantage. Better for white are either 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.d4 d6 5.Nc4 fxe4 or 3.exf5 e4 4.Ne5 Nf6 5.Be2 d6 Bh5+ with complications. Also, given by Nick de Fimirian in MC0 14 is 3.Bc4 fxe4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 with a wild game, white trying to take advantage of f5, which weakens the a2-g8 diagonal. 3...Nc6 4.a3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Ng3 e4 7.Ng1 Bc5 ?








A developing move that is a mistake. Do you see why? 8.c3 ? White returns the favor with a mistake of his own and never recovers. 8.Nxe4 dxe4 9.Qh5+! any move 10.Qxc5 wins a pawn. 8...Nf6 9.d4 exd3 10.Bxd3 0-0 11.Be3 ? Better is 11.Nf3 11...Bxe3 12.fxe3 Ng4 13.Nh3 wlc-Not 13.Qe2, because of 13...Rf2 and white is in even bigger trouble. 13...Qe7 14.Qe2 Nxe3








White is dead lost. 15.Bxh7+ wlc-An unsound sacrifice to try to mix things up. Better is 15.Kd2, but after 15...Na5, white still is in trouble. 15...Kh8 ? The best way to refrute a sacrifice is to accept it. 15...Kxh7 and white really doesn't have anything. 16.Qh5 ? Seems reaonable, but black has 16...Bg4 and it is over soon. [16.Be4 dxe4 17.Qxe3 Bxh3 18.gxh3 Rae8 19.0-0-0 Rf3 20.Qe2 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 wlc-This is a better continuation by white.] 16...Bg4 ! A very good move. 17.Qg6 Nxg2+ 18.Kd2 Qe3+ 19.Kc2 Ne5 20.Qg5 Bxh3 21.Qxe3 Nxe3+ 22.Kb3 Kxh7 23.Rae1 N3c4 24.Re2 Bg4








White resigns in a hopeless position. 0-1