Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (BDG) is an aggressive chess opening that I played for 35 years. It's characterized by the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 exf3. This collection of games showcases various continuations and tactical possibilities arising from this sharp opening. From quick victories to complex middlegame struggles, these recent online matches demonstrate the dynamic nature of the BDG and its potential for both White and Black. Let's explore some of the key variations of the gambit accepted and decisive moments in these exciting encounters.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 exf3 and now:
5.Qxf3 c6 (I prefer the greedy 5...Qxd4!) 6.Bg5 Bg4 (6...Qxd4 7.Rd1 Qe5+ favors Black.) 7.Qg3 Bh5 8.Nh3 Nbd7 9.Bc4 e6 10.Nf4 Bg6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Nxe6 Qe7 13.0–0
13...Qxe6 (Better might be 13...Qd6) 14.Rae1 Ne4 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.Rf4 Bd6 17.Rexe4 Bxf4 18.Rxe6+ Kf7 19.Re7+ Kg6 20.Bxf4+ 1–0 Velikanov - Jammalamadaka, chess.com 2024
5.Nxf3 and now:
5...Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.0–0 e6 8.Bg5 Be7
9.Qe1 (9.d5! leads to equal chances.) 9...a6 10.Bd3 Nb4 11.Rd1 Nxd3 12.Rxd3 h6 13.Bh4 0–0 14.Ne5 Bb5 and 0–1 in 66. Stead - Mestnikov, chess.com 2024
5...c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.0–0 e6 8.Ng5 Bg6 9.Bxe6!? fxe6 10.Nxe6 Qd6 11.Bg5 Qxe6 12.Bxf6 Kd7 13.d5
13...Bc5+? (13...cxd5 14.Nxd5 Kc8 favors Black.) 14.Bd4 Qe7 15.dxc6+ Kc8 16.Qg4+ Kd8 17.Rad1 Bxd4+ 18.Rxd4+ Ke8 19.Qc8+ 1–0 Arslanov - Rosenberg, chess.com 2024
5...Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.g4 Bg6 8.Bg2 c6 9.h4 Bb4 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.Qe2 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Qd4+ and now:
13.Be3? Qxe5 14.h5
14...Bxc3 (Or 14...Nxg4) 15.hxg6 Bd4 and 0–1 in 68. Arslanov - Karas, chess.com 2024
13.Kh1 Nxg4 14.Rf4 Qxe5 15.Qxe5 Nxe5 16.Rxb4 0–0–0 17.Bf4
White is better and 1–0 in 34. Arslanov - Portal Ramos, chess.com 2024
5...g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Qe1 and now:
8...c5 9.dxc5 Nc6 10.Qh4 Bg4 11.Be3
11...e5? 12.Ng5 and 1–0 in 30. Arslanov - Cardozo, chess.com 2024
8...Nc6 9.Qh4 Bf5 10.Bh6 e6 11.Rad1 Ng4 (Or 11...Bxc2 12.Rd2 Bf5) 12.Bg5 Bf6 13.h3 Bxg5 14.Nxg5 Nf6 (14...h6!?) 15.g4 h6 16.Qxh6 Qd6 17.gxf5 Qg3+ 18.Kh1 Na5
19.fxg6 Nxc4 20.Rxf6 Qxg5 21.Qh7# 1–0. Arslanov - Lohani, chess.com 2024
8...a6 9.Qh4 Bg4 10.Be3 Bxf3 11.Rxf3 e6? (11...Nc6=) 12.Bg5 Nbd7 13.Ne4
and 1–0 in 28. Arslanov - Bynum, chess.com 2024
8…Nbd7 9.Qh4 Nb6 10.Bb3 Bg4 11.Be3 h5 12.Ne5 Nbd5 13.Bg5 Be6 14.Rae1 Qd6
15.Kh1 (15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.c4 favors White.) 15...c6 16.h3 = and ½–½ in 97. Arslanov - Toktomushev, chess.com 2024
5...Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 and now:
7...Nc6 8.Bb5 e6 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.Qxc6+ Nd7 11.Bg5 Qc8
12.0–0–0 (12.0–0 also favors White.) 12...Rb8 13.Rhe1 Qb7 14.Rxe6+ Be7 15.Rxe7+ Kf8 16.Rxf7+ Kxf7 17.Qxd7+ Kg6 18.Qe6+ 1–0 Arslanov - Guillemette, chess.com 2024
7…c6 8.g4 e6 9.g5 Nd5 10.Bd3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Bd6 12.Rb1 Qc7 13.0–0 0–0 14.h4 Nd7 15.h5 Rae8 16.Bd2 e5
17.Rbe1 [Or 17.Qe4 g6 18.Bc4=] 17...f5 18.Bxf5 g6 19.Bxd7 Rxf3 20.Bxe8 Rg3+ [20...e4 favors Black.] 21.Kh2 exd4? 22.Bf7+ Kh8? [Black would have the better game is 22...Qxf7 23.Rxf7 Kxf7] 23.Re8+ Kg7 24.h6# [1–0 Arslanov - Martin, chess.com 2024] 1–0
