Elephant Gambit by Tom Purser

Once upon a time Purser talked to his private investigator buddy Peter Atzerpay about the opening 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5. Peter asked if the opening was called either “Queen's Pawn Counter Gambit” or “Mittelgambit im Nachzug”. But Purser called it, “An Elephant.”

When Tom Purser passed away, I was reminded of how much he enjoyed playing the Elephant Gambit. This opening as Black has some of the same characteristics that the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit has as White. His original book on the Elephant Gambit book was published on July 3, 1988 by Blackmar Press. The authors who compiled this book were Niels J. Jensen, Tom Purser, and Rasmus Pape.

Tom Purser played in an Atlanta tournament in 1983. There Tom won an Elephant Gambit vs “A. Sheehan”. The USCF lists a player from Georgia named Andrew Sheehan. I am guessing that he may have been Tom Purser’s opponent here. I provide my own detailed analysis of this line.

Sheehan - Purser, Atlanta 1983 begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 [3.exd5 e4 4.Qe2 Nf6 5.d3 Qxd5 6.Nbd2 Nc6 7.dxe4 Qe6 8.Qc4 a6 9.Qxe6+ Bxe6 10.a3+/=; 3.Nc3 d4 4.Ne2 f6 5.Ng3 Be6=; 3.d3 dxe4 4.Nxe5 Nf6 5.Be2 exd3=] 3...dxe4 [3...Nf6 4.Nxe5 Nxe4 5.Bd3 Nd7 6.Nxd7 Bxd7=] 4.Nxe5 Bd6 5.Bf4 [5.Nc4 Nf6 6.Nxd6+ Qxd6 7.Be2 Nc6 8.c3 0-0=; 5.Bc4 Bxe5 6.Qh5 Qe7 7.Qxe5 Qxe5 8.dxe5 Nc6+/=; 5.Nc3 Bxe5 6.dxe5 Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 Nc6 8.Nxe4 Bf5 9.Bd3 Nge7=] 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 [6.Bc4 0-0 7.0-0 Qe7 8.Nc3 Be6=] 6...0-0 7.f3 Bb4 8.Bc4 Nd5 [8...Nc6 9.0-0 Qxd4+ 10.Qxd4 Nxd4 11.Nxe4=; 8...exf3 9.Nxf3 Qe7+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2=] 9.Bxd5 Qxd5 10.0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 f5 [11...exf3 12.Qxf3 Qxf3 13.Nxf3=] 12.c4 Qd8 13.Qd2 [13.Rb1+/-] 13...Nd7 [13...Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Be5+/=] 14.Bg5 [14.fxe4 fxe4 15.Qe3 Nxe5 16.Bxe5+/-] 14...Qe8 15.Nxd7 Bxd7 16.fxe4 [16.Rae1+/=] 16...fxe4 [16...Qxe4=] 17.Rxf8+ Qxf8 18.Rf1 Qe8 19.Qf4 [19.d5+/=] 19...Qg6 [19...c6=] 20.Be7 h6 21.g3? [21.Qxc7+/=] 21...Re8 22.Bb4 e3 [22...Bh3-+] 23.Qxc7 [23.Rf3 Re4 24.Qxc7 Rxd4 25.Rxe3 Bc6-/+] 23...Bh3 24.Qxb7 [24.Qd6 Qxc2 25.Qd5+ Kh7 26.Qf3 Bxf1 27.Qxf1 e2 28.Qe1 Qxc4-+] 24...Bxf1 25.Kxf1 [25.Qd5+ Kh7 26.Qf3 Bxc4-+]

25...Qxc2 26.Qd5+ Kh8 27.Ke1 Qf2+ 0-1

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Rob Hartelt Caro-Kann to BDG

Rob Hartelt wins a Caro-Kann that transposed into the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. White had a winning plan that led to a crisp sharp victory. White looks to be having fun! Black used the handle “petrorebro” and was listed as being from Ukraine. The players were ready for action in this one minute game. Rob Hartelt consistently applied pressure. Black lost on time just before getting mated. White still had 35 seconds left.

When I played both the Caro-Kann Defence and Slav Defence as Black, it made sense to answer 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 with 2...c6. The natural continuation of 3.e4 dxe4 led to positions that I knew well. I wrote about my own adventures in my book on the Caro-Kann. In this opening typically White plays 4.Nxe4 when Black has a choice between 4…Nf6, 4…Nd7 and 4…Bf5. I played them all from both sides of the board. Once in a while as Black, I faced a bold White player who offered a gambit by 4.f3!? exf3 5.Nxf3 Nf6 6.Bc4. Note that White might arrive at the same position after 4.Bc4!? Nf6 5.f3 exf3 6.Nxf3.

Rob Hartelt is an active player in the Colorado chess scene. I’m sure that he picks up tactical ideas being around so many strong players. One such motif was h4 with the bishop sacrifice Bxh7+ followed by Qh5. It proved to be an excellent practical choice at a fast speed. White’s plan worked here with Black’s cooperation.

My Blackmar-Diemer Tactics with 500 combinations and mates.

Hartelt - petrorebro, Live Chess Chess.com, 21.12.2016 begins 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 c6 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Nf6 6.Bc4 e6 [6...Bg4 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Ne5+ Kg8 9.Nxg4 Nbd7 10.Qe2 h6 11.Bf4 Nxg4 12.Qxg4 Kh7 13.0-0-0+/-] 7.Bg5 [7.0-0 Be7 (7...Nbd7 8.Qe1 Bd6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 h6 11.Bd3=) 8.Qe1 Nbd7 9.Bd3 c5 10.Be3 0-0 11.Kh1 cxd4 12.Bxd4 Bc5 13.Rd1 Bxd4 14.Nxd4=] 7...Be7 [7...Nbd7 8.0-0 Qb6 9.Rb1 Bd6 10.Qd3=] 8.Bd3 0-0 9.h4!? [9.Qe2 Nbd7 10.0-0-0=] 9...c5 [9...Nbd7 would defend against White's creative combination.] 10.Bxf6 Bxf6

11.Bxh7+!? Kxh7 12.Ng5+ Bxg5? [Black did not have time to find the perfect defense: 12...Kh6! 13.Qc1 Bxg5 14.hxg5+ Kg6 15.Ne2 f5-+] 13.hxg5+ Kg8 14.Qh5 f6 15.g6 with mate in one. 1-0

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Fred Haley Wins Ryder Gambit

Fred Haley sent me a link to the following Live Chess game played on Chess.com. His higher rated opponent "nisapradila" was listed as being from Indonesia. Their contest was in the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. Most players prefer to recapture with the knight after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 with 5.Nxf3. Dr. Ryder played 5.Qxf3 which offers a second gambit pawn on d4. E.J. Diemer played both moves.

The tricky part of the BDG Ryder Gambit is revealed most clearly when Black plays as below with 5…Qxd4 6.Be3 Qb4 attacking b2. White castles 7.0-0-0. The tempting blunder 7…Bg4? leaves Black in deep trouble as Fred Haley demonstrates. Earlier in 2016 I wrote about the Real Dr. Ryder BDG story.

My Blackmar-Diemer Tactics with 500 combinations and mates.

Haley (1864) - nisapradila (2313), Chess.com, 06.12.2016 begins 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Qxf3 Qxd4 6.Be3 Qb4 [6...Qg4!] 7.0-0-0

7...Bg4? [7...c6 8.Qg3 g6 9.a3 Qa5 10.Nf3 Bg7 11.Bc4 0-0 12.Rhe1 b5 13.Bb3 Nbd7 14.Kb1=; 7...e6 8.Nb5 Qa5 9.Bd2 Qb6 10.Be3 Bc5 11.Bxc5 Qxc5 12.Qa3 Qc6 13.Rd6=; 7...a6 8.Qg3 Qa5 9.Bf4 Nc6 10.Bxc7 Qh5 11.Be2=; 7...Nc6 8.Nb5 Qa5 9.Bd2 Qb6 10.Be3 Qa5=] 8.Nb5 Nbd7 [8...Na6 9.Qxb7 Qe4 (9...Bxd1 10.Qxa8+ Kd7 11.Nxa7 Be2 12.Qc8+ Kd6 13.Bd2+-) 10.Qxa6 Qxe3+ 11.Kb1 Qc5 12.Qb7 Bxd1 13.Qxa8+ Kd7 14.Nc3+-; 8...e5 9.Nxc7+ Ke7 10.Qxb7 Qxb7 11.Bc5#] 9.Qxb7 Qe4 10.Qxa8+ [10.Qxe4! Nxe4 11.Rd4+-] 10...Qxa8 11.Nxc7+ Kd8 12.Nxa8 Bxd1 13.Kxd1 Kc8 14.g3 e5 15.Bg2 e4 16.Bf4 h6 [16...Kb7 17.Nh3 Kxa8 18.Ng5 Kb7 19.Nxf7+-] 17.h4 Kb7 18.Nc7 a6 19.c4 Bc5 20.Nd5 Ng4 21.Nh3 f5 22.Kc2 Bd4 [22...Nb6 23.Nxb6 Kxb6 24.Rd1+-] 23.Rd1 Bc5 24.b4 Ba7 25.a4 [Or 25.Ne7 Ndf6 26.Nxf5+-] 25...Rc8 [25...Re8 26.c5 Nde5 27.Bf1+-] 26.Kb3 g6 [26...Re8 27.Ne3 Nxe3 28.Rxd7+ Kc8 29.Rc7+ Kd8 30.Rxa7+-] 27.Ne7 Nb6 [27...Rd8 28.Rd6 Ne3 29.Bxe3 Bxe3 30.Nd5+-] 28.Nxc8 Nxc8 29.c5 Kc6 30.Kc4 Ne7 31.b5+ axb5+ 32.axb5+ Kb7 33.Rd7+ 1-0

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Tom Purser Remembered Mr BDG

Tom Purser has passed away. My wife said, "You and Tom were friends for a long time." I said, "Yes, for 33 years." Tom Purser was well known in the public chess community as an author and publisher, but Tom enjoyed his private life with family and close friends.

His obituary in the Rhea County Herald News reads in part: "Tom Varner Purser, 80, of Panama City, Fla., went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, Dec. 19, 2016. He was formerly of Dayton and a graduate of Rhea Central High School and Auburn University with a degree in architectural engineering. His U.S. Air Force career included service in Berlin and Ramstein, Germany; Vietnam; and Washington, D.C. He retired from Air Force Command Headquarters at RAFB in Warner-Robins, Ga."

Purser convinced me to try the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. Tom got me to join the Internet Chess Club. I contributed to his BDG World Magazine (1983-1997). Tom Purser provided his BDG Concepts article for my Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Keybook II.

When Purser found out I graduated from Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee, he told me that Dayton was his hometown. Both of us worked for the Dayton Herald Newspaper about 15 years apart. It's a small world after all. To honor his military service I present an early Tom Purser game played in Vietnam against Paul Radke, Tom Purser played 1.e4 early in his chess career. He loved the Italian Game lines after 3.Bc4.

Purser - Radke, Nha Trang, Vietnam 1969 begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.0-0 a6 [4...Be7 5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0=] 5.a4 [5.d4+/=] 5...Bd7 6.Nc3 Qe7 7.Nd5! Qd8 8.d4 [8.Ng5!?+/-] 8...exd4 9.Nxd4 g6 [9...Ne5 10.Ba2 c6 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.f4+/-] 10.Qf3 [10.Nxc6! bxc6 11.Bg5 f6 12.Qd4 Bg7 13.Rfe1+-] 10...Nxd4 [10...Ne5 11.Qb3+/-] 11.Nxc7+ Qxc7 12.Qxf7+ Kd8 13.Qxf8+ Be8 14.Bg5+ Ne7 15.Bxe7+ [Or 15.Qxh8 Qxc4 16.Qf6 Qe6 17.Qxd4+-] 15...Qxe7 16.Qxh8 Nxc2 17.Rac1 Qxe4 [17...Nb4 18.Rfd1 Nc6 19.Bd5+-] 18.Qf6+ Kc7 19.Rfd1 Bc6 [19...Qe5 20.Qxe5 dxe5 21.Bb3+-] 20.Qxd6+ Kb6

21.a5+ Ka7 22.Qc5+ 1-0

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Blackmar-Diemer Rasmussen vs Wight

David Wight asked, “Would you have any Ernst Rasmussen games to post? I have one game that I was black against Ernst and beat his BDG.” I answered, “Yes David, I have several of his games. I will look for one. If you have any of your games that you would like me to post, send them to me.”

It seems that I did not immediately have to look for a game by Ernst Rasmussen after all. Below is the game that David Wight sent me. Ernst Rasmussen was one of the top BDG players in his prime decades ago when his rating was over 2000. Here we have a popular line in the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined. The moves 4.f4 Bf5 lead to the BDG Vienna Defence. Rather than grab another pawn on f3 Black chooses to hold e4 for the moment. White could develop a bishop at this point. White has two options. First is 5.g4 Bg6 with either 6.h4 or 6.g5. Second is Rasmussen’s choice 5.fxe4. Black played a common defense 7…Qc8. The battle was balanced until White blundered.

My Blackmar-Diemer Tactics with 500 combinations and mates.

Rasmussen (1800) - Wight (1355), TCC Spring Champ, 07.12.2016 begins 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 Bf5 5.fxe4 Nxe4 6.Qf3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Qc8 8.Bc4 [8.Bd3= is a good alternative.]

8...Be6 [8...e6 9.Ne2 (9.Nh3 Bd6 10.Bd3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 h6 12.0-0 0-0=/+; 9.Rb1 Bd6 10.Bd3 Nc6 11.Bxf5 exf5 12.Nh3 Qe6+ 13.Kf2 0-0-0=/+; 9.Bb3 Be7 10.Ne2 c5 11.Ng3 Bg6 12.h4 h6 13.h5 Bh7=/+) 9...Bd6 (9...Be7 10.Rb1 c6 11.Bd3 Bxd3 12.cxd3 0-0 13.0-0 Nd7=/+; 9...Nd7 10.Rb1 Bd6 11.Rxb7 0-0 12.Bd3 Bxd3 13.cxd3 e5=; 9...Nc6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Bd3 0-0 12.Bxf5 exf5 13.Rb1 Bd6 14.Nf4=; 9...c6 10.Ng3 Bg6 11.h4 Bd6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.Ne4 Bh2+ 14.Kh1=) 10.Ng3 Bg6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rb1 Nc6 13.Ne4 b6 14.Nf6+ gxf6 15.Bh6 Rd8=] 9.Bxe6 Qxe6+ 10.Ne2 c6 11.0-0 Nd7 12.a4 [12.Rb1 b6=] 12...g6 [12...Qd5=] 13.Rb1 b6 14.Nf4 Qd6 15.Be3 [15.Ra1+/=] 15...Bg7 16.Nh3 [16.Nh5 0-0 17.Nxg7 Kxg7=] 16...f6 [16...0-0-/+] 17.Rbe1 [17.Bf4 Qd5=/+] 17...0-0 [17...e5 18.Rd1 Qe6=/+] 18.Bf4 [18.Rd1 Rfe8=/+] 18...e5 19.Bg3 Rae8 20.Qd3 Qd5 21.Bf2 [21.Qa6 f5-/+] 21...exd4 [21...f5-/+] 22.cxd4 Bh6 23.Qa6 g5 24.c4 [24.Kh1 g4=/+] 24...Qd6 [24...Qf7-/+] 25.Kh1 f5 26.c5 [26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Qxa7 g4=/+] 26...bxc5 [26...Qd5-/+] 27.dxc5 Nxc5 28.Qc4+ Ne6 29.Bxa7 Kh8 30.Rd1 Qc7 31.Bc5 Nxc5 32.Qxc5 Re5 33.Qd6 Qxd6 34.Rxd6 Kg7 35.Rxc6 g4 36.Nf2 Rf7 [36...Rd8=/+] 37.g3 Ra5 38.Rc4 Rfa7 39.Ra1 Bg5 40.Nd3 Bf6 41.Ra2 Rd5 42.Nf4 Rd1+ 43.Kg2 Rb7 44.Rac2 Rbb1 45.Ne2 Bd8 46.Rd4 Rxd4 47.Nxd4 Bb6 48.Ne2 Rb4 49.Ra2 Rb3 50.a5 Ba7 51.Rd2 Kf6 52.Nf4 Rb1 53.Ne2 [53.Rd6+ Ke7=] 53...Ke7 [53...Ra1=] 54.Rc2 Kd6 55.h3 gxh3+ 56.Kxh3 Ra1 57.Rd2+ Ke5 58.Rd7 Bc5 59.Rxh7? [59.a6 Rxa6 60.Rxh7=] 0-1

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