Thursday, February 16, 2012

Tom Purser Draws World Champ Euwe BDG

When looking for some good Tom Purser games in the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, I came across one from over 30 years ago. Purser was playing in a simultaneous exhibition against the former World Champion and FIDE President Max Euwe in Ramstein, Germany.

At the site chessgames.com we find commentary on this game from whiteshark:
"Dr. Euwe played 20 board simul at Ramstein Air Base rec center on 16 Feb 1978; he won 18, lost one, drew this one. He allowed all opponents choice of color."

Tom V. Purser went on to publish "BDG World" magazine for 15 years starting about 1983. Around 1984 this magazine caught MY attention. I am forever grateful for Tom Purser. For those interested in more from him, Tom Purser's blog is a great read. This opening is a BDG Ryder.

My Blackmar-Diemer Tactics with 500 combinations and mates.

Purser,Tom V - Euwe,Max simul Ramstein, Germany 1978 begins 1.d4 Nf6 2.f3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nc3 Blackmar-Diemer Gambit by transposition 4...exf3 5.Qxf3 Ryder Variation 5...Qxd4 6.Be3 Qg4 7.Qf2 a6 [The normal continuation is 7...e5! 8.a3 Bd6 9.Nf3 Nc6=/+] 8.h3 Qb4 9.0-0-0 e6 [9...Nc6 10.Nf3 with compensation] 10.Rd4 Qa5 11.Ra4 Qf5
12.Rf4!? [If White wanted to play for more, his position is very promising after 12.Nf3! when Junior 12 gives the critical line as 12...e5 13.g4 Qe6 14.Bc4 Qe7 15.g5!+-] 12...Qa5 13.Ra4 Qf5 14.Rf4!? One can hardly blame Purser for taking a draw two pawns down against a world champion. 14...Qa5 15.Ra4 1/2-1/2



email: sawyerte@yahoo.com
Copyright 2011-2024

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Romantic Chess Return of Tom Purser's Blog

Siegbert Tarrasch is quoted as having said: "I have always a slight feeling of pity for the man who has no knowledge of chess, just as I would pity the man who has remained ignorant of love. Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make men happy."

There is a style that players love which is called Romantic Chess. It has nothing to do with hearts, chocolates, movies, restaurants or kissing. Wikipedia has an excellent description o Romantic Chess:
"Romantic chess was the style of chess prevalent in the 19th century. It was characterized by brash sacrifices and open, tactical games. Winning was secondary to winning with style, so much, in fact, that it was considered unsportsmanly to decline a gambit (the sacrifice of a pawn or piece to obtain an attack). It is no coincidence that the most popular openings played by the Romantics were the King's Gambit accepted and the Evans Gambit accepted. Some of the major players of the Romantic era were Adolf Anderssen, Paul Morphy, and Henry Blackburne. The Romantic style was effectively ended on the highest level by Wilhelm Steinitz, who, with his more positional approach, crushed all of his contemporaries and ushered in the modern age of chess."

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit is another opening in the same Romantic Chess style. In the United States, no one has done more in the last 30 years to promote this opening than "Mr. BDG", Tom Purser. After October 2011, Tom rarely wrote on his blog. I celebrate with a Purser win in a BDG Gunderan Variation which appeared in my Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Keybook II (below are some of the notes from that book).

My Blackmar-Diemer Tactics with 500 combinations and mates.

Purser-Alekhineim, USA Today Ladder 1991 begins 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bf5 Gunderam Variation 6.Ne5 e6 7.g4 Bg6 8.Qf3 [The alternative is 8.Bg2 c6 9.h4 Bb4 10.0-0] 8...c6 9.g5 Nd5 The most popular move. 10.Bd3 How about a bishop swap? Actually, White just wants Black to leave f7 uncovered. 10...Nd7 Black challenges the knight on e5. 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.0-0 Once again White threatens checkmate. 12...Qe7 13.Nxd5 cxd5
14.c4 White is ripping open the position to make use of Black's weaknesses. 14...0-0-0 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Bf4 Nb8 17.Rfe1 Qb4 18.Qg4+ Rd7 19.Re8# This was a well-played game by Tom Purser, "Mr. BDG." 1-0



email: sawyerte@yahoo.com
Copyright 2011-2024

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