Steinitz Variation vs, Scotch

Continuing my project to build an e4-e5 repertoire for the spice-loving Vienna or King's Gambit player when they have the black pieces, I get my first scalp using the Steinitz Variation against the Scotch Opening.
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[@tristanholm7698]

this video is highly underrated, if the channel is anything like this then u deserve a ton of subs

[@ChessBootCamp]

Thanks Tristan, much appreciated. I have got a lot of new subs in the past week, appreciate the support.

[@taylornz_]

I used to play this occasionally. It's considered dubious because there is a way where white can actually turn this into a gambit where black ends up in some trouble (which makes some sense because you aren't supposed to bring your queen out too early)
I think it's a good choice at lower levels though since those players will not be playing the critical line. In almost all my games my opponents played Nxc6 where the intermezzo qxe4+ just gives black a clean pawn up.
The critical line of this goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3 (defending e4) Bb4 (renewing the threat) 6. Be2! (sacrificing the pawn) Qxe4 7. Nb5!
Black has some big trouble defending the fork threat and is going to have to play Kd8 at some point so white in return for the pawn gets to play against a king in the middle.
It's important that white sacrifices the pawn to get this pressure, if 6.Nb5 then Ba5 defends c7 and we can play a6 next to kick it out. In the main line Ba5 is not an option because the bishop is responsible for guarding the c7 square and pinning the c3 knight and it can't do both

[@ChessBootCamp]

Great tips, thanks, I’ll look into it! 🙏

[@mikobatorfi3898]

You’re welcome Ben! Keep the great content coming!

[@physics2112]

Those are helpful keyboard shortcuts I also didn't know about.

[@ChessBootCamp]

Cheers bro 🙏

[@TheMichiganFishHunter]

Definitely entertaining

[@ChessBootCamp]

Great, thanks

[@papiduriduri]

Haha always incredibly entertaining, greetings from Toronto!

[@ChessBootCamp]

Thank you 🙏

[@petermorcos1519]

Great stuff. I think I read somewhere that this opening is one of the only variations of the wayward queen type lines that's actually sound, rather than just a waste of time.

[@ChessBootCamp]

Seems strong to me, at least at the intermediate level.

[@rmstew]

Who said Freddie was the forget-about-it pawn? Nonsense, I say!

[@ChessBootCamp]

Yeah, I vote we rename him to "Fuck-It Freddie"!!

[@dennisharrell2236]

Oh yeah, I definitely got the Furry Freak Brothers reference! Surprised you knew it. 😎😎

[@ChessBootCamp]

Awesome! Yeah, I got into the Freak Brothers comics in about the late 80s when I was a teenager.