Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit

Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code A00, part of the Van Geet Opening family. It goes 1. Nc3 b5. White opens with 1. Nc3 (the Dunst/Van Geet knight move) and Black answers 1... b5. After 2 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
• 1... b5 – Black plays the pawn to b5

About the Van Geet Opening

White starts with 1.Nc3, an offbeat but sound move. It develops a knight and can later turn into a Vienna, a Pirc-like or a d4 game.

• The knight controls e4 and d5; White often follows with e4.
• It blocks the c-pawn, so plans with c4 are harder.
• Black can take the centre with ...d5 and ...e5; White plays for surprise.

Related openings

• It extends: Van Geet Opening (1. Nc3)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Kluever Gambit (1. Nc3 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. d3)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Liebig Gambit (1. Nc3 e5 2. e3 d5 3. Qh5 Nf6)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Jendrossek Gambit (1. Nc3 d5 2. f4 d4 3. Ne4 f5 4. Nf2 Nf6 5. Nf3 c5 6. b4)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Melleby Gambit (1. Nc3 d5 2. f4 d4 3. Ne4 c5)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Hulsemann Gambit (1. Nc3 e5 2. e3 d5 3. Qh5 Be6)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Myers Attack (1. Nc3 g6 2. h4)

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