Opening Forum: Budapest Gambit- Fajarowicz Variation by Life Master James R. West
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In March 2007, while playing in a tournament at the Polgar Chess Center in Queens, I bought“ The Fighting Fajarowicz” [ Chess Digest, 1996, 228 pages ] by Tim Harding. One advantage to purchasing a book in person rather than on-line or by mail is that it affords you the opportunity to browse before buying. My shopping spree has already paid dividends, as I have defeated a couple of masters and drawn another with the Fajarowicz after the opening moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ne4. There has also been a draw against a master who declined the Budapest Gambit with 3. d5.
The Fajarowicz Variation is to 1. d4 what the Philidor Counter Gambit is to 1. e4, namely fighting chess! You will not find many positional moves in these sharp lines.
Game # 1
Mark Kernighan( 2215) James R. West( 2200)
3rr Hamilton Quads, TL 40 / 80 15 / 30, April 21, 2007, ECO A51
Budapest Gambit – Fajarowicz Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ne4 4. Nf3 Bb4 + 5. Nbd2 Nc6 6. Qc2 d5 7. exd6ep Bf5 8. Qd1 Qxd6 9. e3
( 9. a3 Bxd2 + 10. Bxd2 O-O-O 11. Qc1 Rhe8 12. b4 Nd4 13. Nxd4 Qxd4 14. Be3 Qe5 15. Bf4 Rd1 +! 16. Qxd1 Qc3 + 17. Bd2 Nxd2 18. Qxd2 Qxa1 + 19. Qd1 Qxa3, 0-1, Ziewitz- Hagen, Schleswig 1963)
9 … O-O-O 10. Be2 Qf6 11. Qb3 Nc5 12. Qd1 Nd3 + 13. Bxd3 Bxd3 14. a3 Bxd2 + 15. Nxd2 Ne5 16. f4 Nxc4 17. Nxc4 Bxc4 18. Qg4 + Kb8
White might have tried 30. b4 axb4 31. axb4 hoping for 31... Qxb4?! 32. Rea3, but 31... R8d3 maintains Black ' s edge.
30... Qc5 31. b4 axb4 32. Qb2 R8d3 33. Rxd3 Qg1 + 34. Kg3 Rxd3 + White Resigns
It is interesting to note that White ' s rook and bishop stayed parked on their original squares!
Game # 2
Sandi Hutama( 2219) James R. West( 2200)
3rr Mt. Arlington Quads, TL G / 90, April 28, 2007, ECO A51
Budapest Gambit Declined 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. d5 Bc5 4. e3 O-O
( 4... d6 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Nf3 c6 7. Be2 cxd5 8. cxd5 Bf5 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Nbd7 was equal, however, it was 0-1 in 41 moves, Bekmuhkamedova-Vo, Bratislava 1993)
5. Nc3 c6 6. g4
( 6. Bd3 cxd5 7. cxd5 a6 8. a3 b5 9. b4 Bb6 10. Bb2 Re8 11. Nge2 d6 12. Ng3 Bb7 13. Qb3 Nbd7 14. h3 Rc8 15. O-O with a small advantage for White although 0-1 in 72 moves, Pixton-Monokroussos, Internet Chess Club 2000)
6 … cxd5 7. cxd5 Qa5 8. Bg2 d6 9. g5 Ne8 10. Nge2 f6 11. h4 b5 12. Bd2 b4 13. Ne4 Na6 14. gxf6 Nxf6 15. Nxf6 + Rxf6 16. Ng3 Bd7 17. Ne4 Rg6 18. Bf3 Rf8 19. h5 Rh6 20. Rg1 Bb6 21. Ng5 Nc5 22. Be2 Bd8
Although material is even with bishops of opposite colors, Black has a huge plus due to his lead in development.
19. Kf2 Rd6 20. Re1 Rhd8 21. Qf3 Bb3 22. e4 Rd3 23. Re3 Bd1 24. e5 Qb6 25. Qg3 g6 26. h4 a5 27. Kg1 Bc2 28. Qf2 Rd1 + 29. Kh2 Bf5 30. a4
23. a3 Bxg5 24. axb4 Qd8 25. bxc5 Bh4 26. Rg2
Black now seizes the opportunity to force a draw by perpetual check.
26... Rxf2 27. Rxf2 Bxf2 + 28. Kxf2 Qh4 + 29. Kg1 Qg3 + 30. Kh1 Bf5 31. Ra4 Qh3 + 32. Kg1 Qg3 + 33. Kh1 Draw Agreed
Game # 3
FM Ilye Figler( 2300) James R. West( 2200)
Marshall Chess Club, TL G / 30, July 29, 2007, ECO A51
Budapest Gambit – Fajarowicz Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ne4 4. Nf3 Bb4 + 5. Bd2 Nxd2 6. Nbxd2 Nc6 7. a3 Bxd2 +
( 7... Bf8!? 8. Qc2 g6 9. Qc3 Bg7 10. Ne4 Nxe5! 11. Nxe5 Qe7 12. f4 d6 =/+, Vol-Glaskov, Moscow 1990)
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