Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Bogoljubow

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Bogoljubow variation 5.Nxf3 g6 resembles the Grunfeld Defence. The main difference is that White has an open f-file and Black has an extra pawn. Ultimately, White looks to attack points near the king such as f7 and h7. Usually, Black will pressure the d4 pawn. I used to be an avid Gruenfeld player. Thus, when I first faced a BDG in December 1980, I played 5...g6. Although I won that game as Black, I realized that if my opponent Glenn Snyder had put more pressure on me, I might have been in trouble. Years later, remembering that game, I started playing the BDG as White!

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1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6

6.Bc4 to aim at f7 is the traditional main line. First, we consider 6.Bd3 and 6.Bf4.

6.Bd3 Bg7 7.0–0 0–0 8.Qe1 Nc6 9.Qh4 and now:

9...Nb4 

10.Bh6 Nxd3 11.cxd3 Ng4 12.Bxg7 Kxg7= although 1–0 in 21. Christensen - Bogumil, chess.com 2021

9...Bg4 

10.Ne2 Bxf3 11.Rxf3 e5 12.Bg5 e4 13.Rxf6 exd3 14.Rxc6 Qd7 and 0–1 in 42. Christensen - Robles Aguilar, chess.com 2021

6.Bf4 Bg7 7.Qd2 0–0 8.0–0–0 [the long Bogo] and now:

8...Bg4 

9.Be2 c6 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 e6 12.g4= and 1–0 in 33. Arslanov - Korley, chess.com 2024

8...Nd5 

9.Be5 Nxc3 10.Qxc3 Nd7 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.g4 Nf6 13.g5 Nd5 Black stands a little better but 1–0 in 34. Arslanov - Silva Lucena, chess.com 2024

 6.Bc4 Bg7 [the main line]

6...e6 

7.0–0 Bg7 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Ne4 Bg7 11.Ne5 0–0= and 1–0 in 40. Palczert - Jaque Gutierrez, chess.com 2024]

7.0–0 [the short Bogo]. Alternatives are 7.h4 and 7.Bg5.

7.h4 0–0 8.h5 

8...Bg4 (8...Nxh5!?) 9.hxg6 hxg6 10.Bh6 Bxh6 11.Rxh6 Kg7 12.Qd2 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Nc6 14.0–0–0 Qxd4 and 0–1 in 22. Arslanov - Davidson, chess.com 2023

7.Bg5 0–0 8.Qd2 

8...Bg4 9.Ne5 Bf5 10.0–0–0 Nbd7 11.Qe2= and 1–0 in 27. Pert - Smietanska, chess.com 2023

7...0–0 8.Bg5 [Alternatives are 8.Ne5 and 8.Qe1]

8.Ne5 Nc6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 

10.h3 Nd5 11.Ne2 Be6 12.Bb3 ½–½ Mordiglia - Kirszenberg, Acqui Terme ITA 2023

8.Qe1 Bg4 9.Qh4 Nc6 

10.Ne2 Qd7 11.h3 (11.c3!?) 11...Bxf3 12.Rxf3 Rad8 13.c3 Na5 14.Bd3 c5 15.dxc5 Nc6 and ½–½ in 47. Arslanov - Kolmagorov, chess.com 2024]

8...c6

8...c5 

9.d5 (If 9.dxc5 Qa5 10.Qe2=) 9...Bg4 10.Qd2 (Or 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3=) 10...Bxf3 11.Rxf3 Nbd7 12.Re1= and 0–1 in 49.) Karapetyan - Samusenko, Sochi RUS 2021

9.Qd2 b5 10.Bb3 a5 11.a4 b4 12.Ne2 Re8 13.Bh6 Bh8 14.Bxf7+?! [14.Ne5! favors White.]

14...Kxf7 15.Ne5+ Kg8 16.c3 c5 17.Qg5 Ba6? [17...Ne4! 18.Qf4 Bf5 favors Black.]

18.Nxg6! Qd5 19.Ne5+ [with mate next move. 1–0 Helin - Fantini, lichess.org 2021] 1–0

For an expanded look at the 50 games (105 diagrams) I did last year, see my new book Chess Chronicles: Blackmar-Diemer Gambit and Other Chess Games

Below are my Blackmar-Diemer Gambit ebook collections.

Blackmar-Diemer Tactics

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Blackmar-Diemer Series II

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