Barnes Defense

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
Barnes Defense
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 rd b8 nd c8 bd d8 qd e8 kd f8 bd g8 nd h8 rd Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 pd c7 pd d7 pd e7 pd f7 g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 pd g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 pl f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 pl e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 nl c1 bl d1 ql e1 kl f1 bl g1 nl h1 rl
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Moves 1.e4 f6
ECO B00
Named after Thomas Wilson Barnes
Parent King's Pawn Game
Chessgames.com opening explorer

Barnes Defense is a dubious chess opening characterized by the moves:

  • 1. e4 f6?!

This is similar to the irregular Barnes Opening a tempo down. It is considered a very poor move, as it opens no lines for Black to develop his pieces, allows White free and easy development, deprives the g8 knight of its most natural square (f6), and weakens the position of the black king. It does attack a central square, e5, but 1...d6 (the Pirc Defense), or even 1... Nc6 (the Nimzowitsch Defense) are better moves to attack this square. Alternatively, 1...e5, occupying the square immediately, is considered one of Black's most reliable moves. Barnes Defense is named after Thomas Wilson Barnes, an English master who, amazingly, defeated one of the greatest players of the time, Paul Morphy, with it in an offhand game played in London in July 1858[1][2]

Contents

[edit] White's and Black's second moves

White's most common response is 2. d4, opening up the diagonal for the c1 bishop and taking control of the center. Now, these are Black's options:

  • 2... g5??

This allows "Fool's Mate". See section on Fool's Mate

  • 2... h6??

This also allows a type of "Fool's Mate", although allows mate in two moves instead of one.

  • 2... e5?

This looks like a natural follow-up to 1...f6, but loses a pawn to 3.dxe5, since 3...fxe5?? 4.Qh5+ is disastrous for Black. Note that even if White plays 2.Nf3, 2...e5 would still be weak. See Damiano Defense, to which this variation transposes.

  • 2... Kf7?!

This is known as the Fried Fox Defense. It is basically a Hammershlag with a tempo less. Chessmaster 10th edition describes 2... Kf7?! as " Awful" and " A Joke Opening".

  • 2... b6

The line 3. c4 Bb7 is known as the Speers Gambit.

  • 2... g6

This line is recommended by Chessmaster, hoping to transpose to the Hippopotamus Defense, a variation of Adams Defense.

  • 2... e6

This was played in Morphy-Barnes 1858. This is probably Black's best try here, but White should still gain the initiative.

[edit] Fool's Mate

Barnes Defense allows two possibilities of "Fool's Mate".

  • 2... g5?? Qh5#
  • 2... h6?? 3. Qh5+ g6 4. Qxg6#

[edit] Named variations

  • Fried Fox Defense 2. d4 Kf7?!
  • Speers Gambit 2. d4 b6 3. c4 Bb7
  • Fool's Mate 2. d4 g5?? 3. Qh5#

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Philip W. Sergeant, Morphy's Games of Chess, Dover Publications, 1957, pp. 238-40. ISBN 0-486-20386-
  2. ^ Morphy-Barnes, 1858
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