FICGS - Wikichess - Article 3670

The 'Kingston Defence' is characterised by the opening moves:

1.e4 e6
2.d4 f5

It can also be reached after the transposition of moves 1.d4 f5 2.e4 e6 — a form of Staunton Gambit Declined.

The first record of the defence being played is Schiffers-Chigorin, 1880. The first record of a win by Black is the 1892 victory of Elson over Emanuel Lasker. It remains obscure, but has considerable surprise value.

The Kingston Defence shares a weakness with the French Defence — in the form of the constrained queen's bishop -- and a strength with the Dutch Defence — namely the early thrust of the f-pawn, which often supports a knight on e4. (These French and Dutch similarities led to the first, uncomfortable name for the defence: Frutch.) White's decision at move three tends to define the nature of the game that follows.

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Contributors : Gavin Wilson

[ECO "C00"] [Opening "French defense"]

exf5 : 33 games, White ELO av : 1605, Black ELO av : 1653
1-0 : 57.6% , 1/2-1/2 : 9.1% , 0-1 : 33.3%

e5 : 4 games, White ELO av : 1778, Black ELO av : 1891
1-0 : 25% , 1/2-1/2 : 25% , 0-1 : 50%

Nc3 : 3 games, White ELO av : 1941, Black ELO av : 1566
1-0 : 33.3% , 1/2-1/2 : 0% , 0-1 : 66.7%

Nf3 : 2 games, White ELO av : 2037, Black ELO av : 1550
1-0 : 100% , 1/2-1/2 : 0% , 0-1 : 0%

Nd2 : 1 game, White ELO av : 1400, Black ELO av : 1288
1-0 : 100% , 1/2-1/2 : 0% , 0-1 : 0%

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