The opening was originally analyzed in the late 1600s, but the first recorded game was by a Neapolitan player named Geronimo Cascio that was published in 1634. The name Muzio Gambit originated in the early 1800s when it was incorrectly named by the English chess writer Jacob Sarratt in his translation of an Italian work. In the gambit as played by the then in effect Italian rules castling was accomplished by placing the King on h1 and Rook on f1. This resulted in an even stronger attack because checks by the Queen or Bishop on the a7-g1 diagonal are no longer available as a defense.
The opening reached its peak popularity in the mid-1800s in what was known as the Romantic Era. Those were the days when sacrifices and early attacks were considered the only correct way to play.
When players like Louis Paulsen and Wilhelm Steinitz came along with their newfangled defensive play the Muzio’s popularity declined.
Today we are going to take a look at the Double Muzio which, according to GM Raymond Keener, is the best version of the Muzio. It is very dangerous against an unprepared opponent, but its soundness has been called into question.
Frank Marshall–Charles Moreau1–0C37Monte Carlo1902ShashChess 32
Double Muzio Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.f3 g5 4.c4 g4 5.0-0 White
offers a N in the hopes of exploiting black's weakness on the f-file and
launching an attack on black’s King. The Muzio continues gxf3 6.xf3 f6
This is thematic starting position in the Muzio. Black's move is definitely
best because it not only blocks the f-file but also impedes the formation of
white P-center with d4. 7.e5 This is the most logical. White sacrifices
another P to open up new lines for attack. A more reserved continuation is the
wimpy 7.d3 7.d3 c6 8.xf4 d6 9.c3 g7 10.ae1 g4 11.f2 0-0-0
Black stands well. Wojdyla,A (1782)-Panjer,S (2140) Ceske Budejovice 2022 7.c3 A seemingly reasonable attempt to force d4, but it also offers white
little. d6 8.d4 h6 9.a3 e7 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 g6 Here, too, black
stands very well. Arribas Lopez,A (2559)-Aguera Naredo,J (2358) Linares 2015 7...xe5 Now white has a choice. He can play the still wimpy 8.d3 or he can
do what the he-men of old did and sacrifice another piece by playing the
Double Muzio Gambit. 8.xf7+ This is the Double Muzio Gambit which,
according to GM Raymond Keene, is the best version of the Muzio. It is very
dangerous against an unprepared opponent, but its soundness has been called
into question. The SashChess 32 engine evaluates it as being only very
slightly inferior to the more usual 8.d3, but in either case black’s
position is evaluated to be better by about a P and a half. 8.d3 The
modern way. h6 9.c3 e7 10.d2 bc6 11.ae1 f5 12.d5 d8 An
interesting position. White almost always plays 13.Bc3 and it has brought
great success. However, engine highly disapprove of that move evaluating it as
leaving black with a winning position. Instead, the recommended move is 13.Qe2,
but the position remains in black's favor by about 3/4 of a P. 8.c3 d4+ 9.h1 xc4 10.d3 e6 11.xf4 Black's position remains quite solid. De Boer,
A (1710)-Lebon,J (2070) Bethune 2001 8.b3 This old move is not very
effective either. d5 9.xd5 e7 10.c4 bc6 11.c3 f5 12.d4 e4 Black
has an excellent position. Tartakower,S-Leonhardt,P Vienna 1908 13.f2 e6 14.xf4 0-0-0 15.d2 g6 16.f3 g8 17.ad1 d5 18.h4 g4 19.xd5 xd5 20.c4 h5 21.g3 d6 22.d5 xh4 Tartakower,S-Leonhardt,P Vienna 1908 ½-½
(33) 8...d8 8...xf7 9.d4 xd4+ Scottish GM John Shaw sharply
criticizes this because it grabs a meaningless Pawn, opens another line for
ehite's attack and makes the black Q vulnerable on the dark squares,. Engines
recommend 9...Qf4 and GM Neil McDonald suggests that 9...Qf5 may be the only
playable move. 10.e3 f6 11.xf4 British correspondence GM Peter Millican
asserts that the position is objectively equal. Engines agree. e8 12.c3! c6 13.d5± g6 14.ae1+ e7? 15.d6 d8 16.f8+ xf8 17.xc7# Black resigned. Shirov,A (2500)-Lapinski,J (2200) Daugavpils
1990 9.d4 xd4+ 10.h1 h6 11.d2 Slightly better would have been 11.Nc3 g7 Excellent...the Q is well placed here. 11...xb2 is much too greedy
and white would be winning after 12.c3 xc2 13.xh8 12.b3 c6 12...xb2 This was wrong last move and it's still wrong. 13.c3 Traps the Q and
after xa1 14.xa1 the R falls, too. 13.c3 e5 14.d5 d6 15.d1
White threat to take advantage of the pin cand capture on e5 can be easilt
dealt with. d7 16.a4 Hoping to eliminated the B and again threaten to tak
on e5. c6 This is worth a couple of question marks because the
advantage swings to white. 16...f3 Threatens mate, so... 17.g3 e7
White has no satisfactory relpy to this. 18.xe5 18.b3 b5 19.xb5 b8 20.a3 f2 21.g2 f8 22.xe5 xe5 23.c4 xb5 18...dxe5 19.xd7+ c8
and wins. 17.xc6 bxc6 Marginally better was 17...Ke7, but white would
still have a decisive advantage. 18.xe5 g4 18...xe5 19.xe5 and the R
goes off to the side of the board. 19.a3 d7 Marshall disdains the gain
of more material and goes for the attack. 20.c4 20.xh8 f3 21.g1 f8 22.xh7+ c8 23.gxf3 xf3+ 24.g2 e3 25.d3 White is winning. 20...f3
This allows a mate in 13(!), but he was lost in any case. 20...g7 meets
with a pretty refutation. 21.xd6+ cxd6 22.xd6+ e8 23.xc6+ f7 24.d6+ g6 25.e4+ h5 26.h3 g5 27.g4+ fxg3 28.f3+ h6 29.f7+ g6 30.xg5 21.xd6+ White mates. cxd6 22.xd6+ c8 23.xc6+ d8 24.d1+ e7 25.d6+ e8 26.e1+ f7 27.e5+ e8 28.g6+ f7 29.xh8# 1–0
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