Main continuations:
- 5. d4 (post #3) 0-1
- 5. Nc3
- 5. Bc4+
Testing Cochrane gambit
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Jul 16, 2017
0
#3
The 1st test game:
5. d4 c5 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. O-O Nbd7 9. Nc3 Re8 10. Bg5 cxd4 11. Nb5 Qb6 12. a4 Kg8 13. a5 Qc5 14. Qxd4 Qxd4 15. Nxd4 a6 16. Rae1 Re4 17. Rxe4 Nxe4 18. Be7 Ne5 19. Ba2 Kf7 20. Bh4 Ng6 21. Re1 Nxh4 22. Rxe4 Ng6 23. Ne6 Nf8 24. Nd4 Bd7 25. c3 Re8 26. Rxe8 Bxe8 27. g3 Kf6 28. Kg2 g5 29. Kf3 Nd7 30. Ke3 h5 31. b4 Ne5 32. f3 h4 33. Ne6 Bh5 34. Nd4 Nf7 35. Kf2 Be5 36. Ne2 Bb8 37. Nd4 Ba7 38. Ke3 Nd6 39. f4 hxg3 40. fxg5+ Kxg5 41. hxg3 Kg4 42. Kd3 Bg6+ 43. Kd2 Bxd4 44. cxd4 Kxg3 45. Kc3 Ne4+ 46. Kc4 Be8 47. b5 Bxb5 48. Kb4 Kf4 49. Bb1 Ke3 50. Bxe4 Kxe4 and white resigns, ev = -51.1 (d=44), 0-1.
Well, black had the constant advantage, small in the beginning but steadily increasing toward the endgame. With an additional figure, black won endgame relatively easily. 
Conclusion: This line is bad for white.
According to Sakaev, it is simply not sound. Once I read an advice by IM pfren on these forums, ...c5 must be played in order to take control of central squares so black can develop, if I remember well. But I think for some of us class players the positions achieved are double edged in practice.
Jul 16, 2017
0
#5
Pulpofeira wrote:
According to Sakaev, it is simply not sound. Once I read an advice by IM pfren on these forums, ...c5 must be played in order to take control of central squares so black can develop, if I remember well. But I think for some of us class players the positions achieved are double edged in practice.
5...c5 was indeed played in the 1st test game. The statistics, arising from the practical play by masters, show that the opening is really double-edged with a slight statistical advantage +0.08 for white. However, white are obliged to materalise their initiative advantage during the middlegame, otherwise the black with an additional major piece has all its chances to easily win the endgame. At the level of strong engines, the gambit seems to be almost fully refutable. It's easy to explain: engines can easily survive till the endgame which is substantially more favorable for black.
This is a really sharp double-edged gambit, sh = 1.85 | 1.71 =3.56. However, there is an inconsistency between the statistical evaluation ev=+0.08 and engine evaluations (ChessOK: -0.44). I'll start to test it today with Explorer vs Explorer games (d=20), it should be interesting.
N.B. Thanks to Pulpofeira who suggested to test it in an other thread.