Blackmar Diemer Gambit - The Queenside Gamble

The Blackmar Diemer Gambit has some similarities to the Smith Morra Gambit in terms of concept and aesthetics. White is trying something similar on the kingside this time.


White starts off with a Queen's Pawn Opening but play quickly switches over to the kingside after 2.e5. And just like the Smith Morra on the other side, two pawns are sacrificed in quick succession for one which the knight will take maintaining the won tempo.


White hopes that he will get enough momentum and development lead to make up for the lost pawn. The Blackmar Diemer is a variation within one entry of the ECO Index, the one dedicated to the Queen's Pawn game. That entry is D00.

Blackmar Diemer Gambit

Armand Blackmar (1826-1888) analyzed this opening in great detail during 1881 and 1882. He was a less than prominent chess player from New Orleans, USA. He published his conclusions in Brentano's Chess.

Blackmar promoted the line 3.f3 but this fell into disrepute when others showed it to be unsound. Ignatz von Popiel came up with 3.Nc3 at the end of the 1880's which he demonstrated to be stronger. That move is still part of the main line today followed by 3...Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3.

The German master Emil Josef Diemer (1908-90) is responsible for much of the latter part of the main line. Diemer spent many years studying all of the permutations coming off these main ideas. He wrote a book on his findings in the 1950's called Vom Ersten Zug An Auf Matt! (Toward Mate From The First Move!), extolling the virtues of this gambit.

Blackmar Diemer Gambit - Halosar Trap

Top professional players do not like the Blackmar Diemer because they say it's simply unsound. Black can refute it easily, nullifying any threat White can pose. On top of this he can keep the pawn he pocketed in the opening exchanges.

That's a good deal in anyone's language. So why bother with it? The usual. Not everyone is a GM. You can do well down the local club or playing casual online chess games with this. Many of your peers will succumb to your lightening speed kingside attacks!

You will get your pieces out early and Black needs to be careful if he hopes to parry your attacks. The whole idea is to finish your opponent off in about 20 to 25 moves. Let's take a look at the possibilities in the main arteries of the Blackmar Diemer Gambit Analysis using Fritz.

Hubsch Gambit

The Blackmar Diemer Gambit is an energetic thrust by White toward the Black kingside. It may be a little on the hopeful side but like with most gambits and openings generally, if you put in the toil and sweat, you can reap the benefits. Take a look at some of these Blackmar Diemer games.


They should give you an idea of what the Blackmar Diemer is all about. When you see it in action and you get a visual of the structure you can decide if it's something you want to play with. You may find the positions arising within it to your taste.


Let's speed things up even more and swing back over to the kingside for a another quick striking, dynamic attacking gambit. This is the Vienna Gambit.