FM Selim Gürcan presents the Turkish Gambit through a 1921 simultaneous-exhibition game against the famous grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky. The focus is less on theory and more on how amateurs can gain tactical superiority and enjoy their games with this gambit.
Start and basic logic
White is Reshevsky, known as a “child prodigy”; Black is an amateur named Edven. The Turkish Gambit begins with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5; the aim is to challenge the centre directly and take the initiative instead of staying passive.
Tactical struggle
After exd5, Black’s ...e4 threatens the white knight. Reshevsky chooses a careful move like Qe2; Edven keeps developing with ...Nc6. Against White’s c3, Black risks pawn sacrifices to keep the development lead and builds pressure with ...Bc5 that traps the king in the centre. See the video for the finish.
This article is adapted from the video on the Satranç Okulu YouTube channel.
