Stafford Gambit: Taking down the “Hafu Variation”

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Backstory:
Hafu ( / itshafu ) is a Hearthstone Legend and participant in the ongoing PogChamps Chess tournament on chess.com. In the first day of the event, she displayed impressive preparation against David Pakman's Stafford Gambit. She played one of the strongest variations which Stockfish Recommends. In this video, I encounter the same variation and try to take it down! Analyze the game here: lichess.org/l5Bd2YRZ
Chapters:
0:00 Tricky Traps against an early Qe2
3:10 The Hafu Variation Explained
4:01 Facing the Hafu Variation
15:33 Post-game Analysis and Lessons
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Eric Rosen
4579 Laclede Ave #205
St. Louis, MO 63108
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Chess book recommendations: imrosen.com/book-recommendati...
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[@AlexanderWeixelbaumer]

Generously accepting the take back for giving the opponent the chance to play a worse move. Classic Rosen chivalry.

[@marcinmalinowski1545]

„All I need to do is checkmate the white king” wow, that’s insightful Eric :)

[@superpianoman13]

😂😂 6:48

[@dunnokki]

love these no brainers that Eric throws randomly :D and he's right, checkmate ends the game

[@dantehowlstice3052]

You should also try not to fall for any traps, or get checkmated yourself. Top tips.

[@joostvanrens]

You laugh, but when I started focusing on that, I won a LOT more games with black.

[@anonymousasdoasidjasd9911]

Instructive moment

[@RetsamX]

6:50 "All I need to do is to checkmate the white king" That's why Eric is an IM, so wise :D

[@MrMpw00d]

Literally what I was about to write in the comments the second he said it ... scrolled down to the comments - right there! I'm a 1200 blitz player mainly, loving playing the Stafford as black and london as white every time and learning the traps and different combinations. Great work Eric :-)

[@wtfpwnzored]

Plays e5: I'm very close to winning, all I have to do is checkmate the white king.

[@RetsamX]

@@MrMpw00d The stafford is fun. I will probably learn the theory behind it in the next month ^^ Played against it once and barely remembered enough theory to not lose on the spot.

[@AlexanderWeixelbaumer]

@@MrMpw00d I'm always refusing the Stafford Gambit. Shit hits the fan when I play white.

[@grobertoac2430]

4:20 "I can't resist", *Eric preparing to make an illegal move*

[@ZunderCraft]

and the time stamp is 420 pog

[@quintenvanlaar28]

Eric: "any time I could trade queens..." Opponent: "got something better for ya" 15:20

[@Raysonnn]

The ultimate botez gambit

[@asdkjgsefnhad1357]

"This is very close to winning, all I need to do is to ckeckmate the white King" IM Eric Rosen 2020

[@JustAnotherCommenter]

I love rhymes

[@JustAnotherCommenter]

I love rhymes

[@darkbrowndior]

The problem is sometimes he forgets that white king is his king

[@BWeManX]

"This looks very very close to winning. All I need to do is checkmate the white king..." -Eric Rosen, usually turn 3 or so.

[@GoldTheAngel]

Eric: "You dare use my own spells against me, Potter?"

[@danjeory3659]

Wow, first time I saw takeback as a blunder 🤣

[@priyeshgavande401]

Eric: "usually they play Qe5 to push the pawn" Me: stockfish suggests Qe5 so I should play it

[@SnoopA5]

everybody gangsta till eric finds a fun line

[@Hasan...]

6:50 _"All I need to do is Checkmate the White King"_ *~ IM Eric Rosen*

[@christopherking6129]

I think you've invented a new gambit. The takeback gambit

[@GaryTheGray]

This was fun to watch. When I saw the "one hour later" I thought I was watching an episode of Sponge Bob for a second. Good game and variation to show us. Thank you.

[@falconfire8759]

wonder him when his mouse slip was the refutation no one discovered. his mouse slipped move was the Best Move :O

[@KotChorny]

Lol, i was looking for a stafford gambit video, and you post it just now, right on time; thank you, Eric :)

[@g73hc3gsv3i]

Yay!! I asked Eric to made a video on this on one of his previous videos...love you 3000 buddy!👍

[@Chuuniboy]

12:43 you can do this in 5D Chess. It’s a killer mating move.

[@ImAviex]

Just push the pawn into the past where the King is still an infant and then slit his throat while he is a child, but it's okay because he's a dictator.

[@gerudoking3180]

You lost me at '5D Chess'

[@rekhac12]

Saw 2 20 sec ads to watch this masterpiece

[@soar0284]

That’s what I call D E D I C A T I O N

[@RatherEmpty]

@@vijays296 nah man, whitelist good creators

[@ajsdoa6282]

@@vijays296 well then Eric wouldn't get the money he deserves would he?

[@seanm3189]

Note to self. Every time you play a move ask for a take back. That way you know when you made a good move and replay it

[@ploopybear]

that's big brain plays

[@yosuanicolaus]

Bro this is genius

[@tadhgrush1752]

i stressed about the exact Qe2 position shown first for like 3 days! Thanks for sharing:)

[@joonalaukkanen9660]

"This looks very very winning. All I need to do is checkmate the white king." Eric 2020

[@yuemaeve]

6:47 yes that is generally the winning condition for black to win

[@geethikareji6279]

thank you for making a video again today you made my day :D

[@RahulSingh-zo7sm]

6:48 A very well thought out idea that only an IM like Eric Rosen can think of.

[@mattr791]

6:50 what a profound statement from Eric

[@rdemoss21]

Love your videos, keep up the good work

[@Dakotaidk]

As a St. Louis chess club veteran, im glad you're able to do this from home :)

[@Ruben-ry4hc]

Eric!! Keep up the great work!! Love your work.

[@federicom7329]

Rosen, you’re great. Please, keep uploading KZbin videos. You’re my favorite chess player.

[@atapraxis8195]

I love that Eric’s Twitch viewers suggested The Four Agreements. So appropriate :)

[@stithler9757]

I am currently reading Never Split the Difference! Its a great read!

[@davidreid5599]

Great content as usual Eric, thanks! I played the Stafford recently and my opponent played 5.d3 and then 6.Qf3. Bg4 was followed by 7.Qf4 and white preserved the advantage. Do you have suggestion for black against this line by white?

[@nikolaisafronov3452]

Hey, love your videos:3 What two books are you talking about at 4:45?

[@Jo_Es_Chess_Channel]

I just played against the stafford and thanks to Eric I knew i should play c3 and won the knight from a pin and forked the king and queen with a bishop lol

[@vishal2352]

Can you make a video on how to tackle when opponent declines Stafford gambit

[@lagerbaer]

+1 for Never Split the Difference. I liked it a lot.

[@petrnejedly6592]

Hi, what would be a continuation of this? 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. e5 Ne4 6. Qe2 Bc5 7. Qxe4 or is the 5. Ne4 a mistake?

[@shlomorothstein9691]

whats the best move if they play E5 attacking your knight, then you play knight E4, then they play queen E2?

[@enriquevecerra4651]

Buena partida Eric Saludos.

[@corneliuswillis5628]

idk but at 9:30 isn't that checkmate n 2 id he moved the bishop to check him the king takes and he moves the up? idk im new to chess maybe im wrong

[@JonathanPoland]

an interesting line that maybe you have an idea for is Be3 after Bc5... any suggestions other than backing up to Bb6?

[@ronitshah1249]

Yaay I'm early!! Love your videos Eric :)

[@markramos4836]

Never been so early :D only 66 views haha Love your Stafford Gambit vids! They're very instructive :)

[@Emanderful]

Me too

[@victoruffbr]

@Erick if you read this, you asked about audio book recommendation. Do you know Dresden Files? It's pretty entertaining and with well interpretation. It's about a private investigator who happens to be a mage (most people don't believe him though)

[@HeiB1954]

11:02 Isn't that a trading212 mug ? Eric, you have other vices as well ? :-)

[@lennartwobig]

What to play when white moves instead of the queen, directly the pawn to e5

[@halfaheartbongobongo]

props to that player for surviving so long - that position looked like it was going to collapse at any moment. also it's funny because i actually did think king f1 "felt" better but had no real idea for why. instructive.

[@dkeisk]

Hello therr im 1000 player and often confronted with qf3 on the 5th move when playing stafford so would like to know what is the best continuation for black fron there?

[@davidn2749]

Nigel Planer reads a bunch of Terry Pratchett novels, they are fantastic to listen to!

[@underdog3784]

Nobody, not a single soul: Eric Ross youtube video thumbnail: gambit

[@w7lves]

As a wise man named International Chess Master Eric Rosen once said "All I need to do is checkmate the king."

[@jigneshsolanki6654]

Saw erics recommendation and immediately clicked 😍😍

[@bestk7]

Hi Eric can you upload long tournament videos?

[@erikjanicek1866]

No one: Eric: “there is a cool line”

[@onlimi616]

What's interesting is that I played the Stafford against the Maia1500 chessbot and it played this exact config almost verbatim! For those who may not be aware, Maia is the new chess engine from Microsoft that is supposed to play "more humanlike." Google Maia chess for more details. It ended up beating me because I couldn't remember how to play against this config. But we had a long and good game though. I made a mistake or 2 and it handily took me down.

[@larryhanenberger3273]

"The Red and The Blue" by Steve Kornacki is a good book on audible.

[@josecarlosarhe]

Hi! At 08:08 is queen to E4 not a check mate?

[@AndreLuiz-rd9jc]

Ive had the chance to do that "funny trap" so many times but never saw it

[@keiganogrady7481]

My favourite audiobook is the name of the wind

[@dylanwhite2949]

15:06 is Bxe2 good here ? threatening mate on e4 and wining the rook for your bishop ?

[@eduardoolivares9767]

yes but you need to consider the queen threat and give space for your king to run ( but then eric aimply blocked with his bishop)

[@DavidDouglas_AKA_Deadlyfingers]

Is there a video to cover the line if white plays F3?

[@Gui_Calheira]

Just got a win with that forced checkmate in two after queen sac you tought in the Staffor, Eric😂 Thank you😂😂

[@ryanstephen8052]

@9:42 was that mate with bishop to g2? King has to take bishop then queen H3, nvm he can retreat to corner again

[@zid4685]

@9:29 Bg2 check, KxBg2 forced then Qh3 mate

[@mihirshah1717]

at 6:30 isn't qxg3 curtains for white already?

[@AmirOstad]

Eric, Never Split The Difference is a phenomenal book. Check the author's videos on youtube too.

[@binyaminschein5783]

Literally made me money

[@kwikshank5596]

whats the best line to play after pawn e5 knight e4 queen e2?

[@sanskarkaazi3830]

White plays h6 with his pawn realizing i would move my knight.. what do we do then? Like in move 5 he/she does that..

[@mktaha]

can you please show the stafford after white Queen to f3. Thanks

[@joeb4142]

Low key Eric: It’s a funny trap.

[@pewpewgang]

another funny line 10:11, instead of paw f6,black could jabait rook e8 "going for the pawn,and if instead of knight d2,goes Qe2,then its force check mate. Bishop g7,king takes,pawn promotes to queen,rook takes,queen h8 checkmate.

[@bbb1312]

On move 14/15 why not check with queen takes E4?

[@niccnaccz9044]

I don’t understand that at 13:48 you couldn’t get your rook to take the E4 pawn, rook takes rook, and then queen takes E4 rook and mate?

[@mikelezhnin8601]

I think at 8:50 there is a cool move Rh4, white can't take it cuz of Qg2# threat, and so the bishop on f4 is hanging, white has to play Be3 to not get his bishop trapped... but I dunno what to do next (maybe double the rooks with Rdh8?)

[@jeanpaulfelix4095]

i sub and i LOVE to watch........I just played in Odessa....Stafford Gambit...Thanks!

[@antoniocorreas2474]

Question: what is a blunder in chess?

[@andytello6469]

Why it doesen't work the Bb2 check plan?

[@Rnx-lt9hw]

Thanks for the Gambit ideas. don't see a response for pawn to f6

[@smrtfasizmu6161]

I don't understand how at 10:05 Bg2+, Kg2, Qh3# isn't a forced checkmate

[@Hsel-lc1wt]

The king can move back to h1 and white is pretty much fine

[@BREAKocean]

I stopped playing chess a year ago and half of my opponents keep playing this opening. Studying Qe2 now :p

[@matthewgriffin8903]

15:07 why cant he take the b5 pawn??

[@TheBTMCrew]

06:00 Never Split the Difference from Chriss Voss is awesome. If you want to improve your communication and negotiation skills.

[@sohambhattacharjee951]

"Always give takebacks...when the opponent plays a bad move hope for a worse one."

[@ShadowBeta]

RobertoJBM (the guy that defeated gotham chess in im not a gm) said in his channel that stafford is totally refuted and its a easy win against it, what u think about it?

[@ChandanKumar-gd9dp]

Eric is such a nice guy

[@aryamantewari5122]

Nobody: Rosen : Dahhhhh

[@pavankumar-xn6mv]

At 0:41 why can't the queen take the knight. Thanks in advance

[@hyperionowl1848]

"all I need to do is checkmate the white king" the eternal wisdom of Eric

[@PiercingSight]

This is a strange crossover of my interests.

[@cimadev]

6:50 isnt that how chess works overall?

[@YashKakrecha]

My opponent never excepts Stafford gambit.. i mean giving away ma 2nd knight. Opponent always go back and play safe

[@maxomega3]

free f pawn at 14:52, threatening rook too. I'm wondering why he didn't play that

[@Leandro-vy7nj]

15:01 Was Bxf2 forced mate?

[@bobdrone1]

Not sure what books you are into, but, if you like epic fantasy, the stormlight archive by Brandon Sanderson is a great series and great audio book!!

[@robertbassinder]

Sacing Bishop on h3 to g2 would’ve forced king to take Bishop and promote H pawn w battery up h file no? (Even at 11:11 or 12:11)

[@Asdayasman]

If you're into your fiction, try The Bartimaeus Trilogy. It's on Audible, and the English bloke voicing it is pretty good.

[@BManMK1]

Eric do you know why I’m not getting twitch notifications?

[@BManMK1]

Oh nvm I thought you were live recently

[@racool911]

Wish I watched this before I tried using the gambit

[@ujjawalkumar1126]

How can I get a chess title?