The Fabulous Budapest Gambit by Viktor Moskalenko

I've recently bought the Fabulous Budapest Gambit by Viktor Moskalenko and find it to be extremely useful.

This is not an instructive book, in that it gives the best moves or preferred lines for Black, it is a condensed historical games reference book. The reader will games and analysis on the Budapest Gambit (BG), where the games have been categorised by variation.

The book covers some of the wilder variations of the BG and Fajarowicz Gambits: variations we won't study in detail on this blog. For example, the Jet Black 4.g5 pawn push is looked at in the FG - a sharp and dynamic attack I just can't imagine playing!

If you enjoy sitting down at a board and playing through games (something you should do, but not all of do!) then this is a very useful book. You can see where the BG was used and why it won, drew or lost.


However, if you enjoy having a book saying here is the best move, this is why it is the best move and here is where the best move has been used - this book is not for you. Though, the here is where the best move is used games are presented in abundance.


Books are personal preference. I find this book well laid out and easy to read. Ideas and strategy is explained at the beginning of each chapter, before the illustrative games. The sub-variations and analysis are easy to follow, but become harder in the later chapters.


There are some diagrams (approx 2-5, per game) but you will most likely need a board to help you play through these games.


This book is aimed at players new to the BG and players looking to widen their BG knowledge.