I have recently taken a liking to the Grob opening, 1. g4, and I want to know if anyone has any tips or strategies that they would like to share for either black or white.
After many Grob tournament games I think I've finally reached the point where I don't feel completely lost when playing white. Oddly enough, the most comfortable method I've found is to play the Grob Gambit, sacrificing the g-pawn in exchange for a better grip on the center, annoying queenside pressure and a sharper-than-normal game. (Another thing I really like about the gambit line is that it seems to prevent black from getting "settled" early on since the center is still very much up for grabs.)
Here's an example:
As black, I almost always opt for an early h5, taking on the g-pawn and aiming for an early Rook-lift (gxh5 Rxh5) in order to attack the undefended bishop on g2 before white has a chance to castle. It's fairly common for white to surrender castling rights in order to save the bishop, especially if you can develop the Queen to g5 or f6 and coordinate with the lifted Rook. Sharp, tactical game ensues.
Example, attacking the Grob:
I also enjoy using the grob, I often have trouble with (3... c6). Anyone have an indepth ways to approach it?
There is a chessbase file for free at chessville.com that covers the book 'Tactical Grob'. It has many attacking lines in it. I use the Grob frequently in blitz games and score fairly well with it. Mainly from the lines in the book. If you search the forums there was a previous post about the Grob giving the link to this file. Unfortunately I cannot post the link at this time. Maybe when I get to work.
Boog
...said "I also enjoy using the grob, I often have trouble with (3... c6). Anyone have an indepth ways to approach it?"
Finding some way to work in c4 is usually key for white. Here's one possibility:
I couldnt' seem to find the grab on the site you posted. I'll keep looking.
I put 421 Grobs on my home page at http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/grob.htm
I wrote a book on it a few years ago. I may need to update my file.
bill, I'm working on putting mine into chessbase so I can send them to you, I hadn't forgotten, but had put that on the back burner.
Here's a link to the Tactical Grob book (or db?) by the infamous Claude Bloodgood.
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