Off the Wall Chess - My Grob Blog
Submitted by
billwall on Fri, 05/16/2008 at 6:49pm.
The Grob Opening (1.g4) was extensively analyzed and played by International Master and Swiss champion Henry Grob (1904-1974). A few years ago, I wrote a booklet on the Grob, which can be a playable opening if you know what you are doing. The opening is also known as the Spike and about six other names from various players you have played or analyzed it over the years. I first saw the opening in Chess Life in the 1960s. In 1975, Frank Szarka won the Amateur Section in the World Class Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia. He and I were tied with a 5-0 score, but I eventually lost to him the next round, He won all five games in which he had White by playing the Grob. Grandmaster Paul Keres was also in the same tournament in the master section, which he won (it was his last tournament before he died). I later learned that he played the Grob in his early career. I later corresponded with Claude Bloodgood, who played the Grob and wrote a booklet on it. I regret that we did not play the Grob against each other. I've played it in a few tournaments and lots of Internet and blitz games. Here is a quick Internet game in which my opponent responded to the Grob with a weak series of opening moves. I eventually exposed his king, sacrificed a piece, and checkmated him in my territory.