A Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Miniature

My first serious game (i.e. not online blitz) against the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit netted me a nice miniature. I employed the O'Kelly Defense without knowing its name, and quickly gained a superior position.

Internet Opponent (2143) -- Stripes,J (2155) [D00]
www.ChessWorld.net, 10.07.2013

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 c6

The third most popular move offers White an abyssmal 47.1% through 468 games. This move was suggested to Emil Joseph Diemer by Albéric O’Kelly, hence the name. There is a bit of interesting history and analysis in a Chess Cafe article: Stefan Bücker, "How to Detect a Novelty" (2009).

I have previously always played 4...exf3, and have more losses than wins. A principal appeal of correspondence chess is the research aspect, and for this game I sought help through database research.

White to move

5.Nxe4

I spent a bit of time preparing for 5.Bc4, White's most popular move in the position.

5...Nxe4

The choice of the strongest players. 5...Bf5 is slightly more common among club players.

6.fxe4 e5

An essential strike that disrupts White's center and prepares to bring the queen to h4.

7.Nf3 exd4

White to move

8.Nxd4

We are now following a single game in the database.

8.Bc4 is usually played, and appears to be best. Diemer gave it two exclamation marks in his analysis in response to O'Kelly's suggestion.

Two reference games:

8...Qa5+ 9.Bd2 Qc5 10.Qe2 Nd7 11.b4 Qb6 12.Qf2 Nf6 13.Ng5 Bxb4 14.0–0 Bxd2 15.Qxd2 Qc5 16.Nxf7 0–0 17.Ne5+ Kh8 18.Qg5 b6 19.Nf7+ Rxf7 20.Qxc5 bxc5 21.Bxf7 Ba6 22.Rf4 Rf8 23.Bb3 Re8 24.Rb1 Re7 25.Ba4 h6 26.Bxc6 Re6 27.Bd5 Re7 28.c3 d3 29.c4 Nd7 30.Kf2 Kh7 31.Ke3 Ne5 32.Rc1 Re8 33.Kd2 g6 34.Rf6 Bc8 35.Rcf1 Re7 36.Rd6 Kg7 37.Rd8 1–0 Trumpf,W (2444) -- Mukherjee,A (2495) Switzerland 2003.

8...Bb4+ 9.c3 dxc3 10.Bxf7+ Kxf7 11.Qb3+ Ke8 (11...Be6!?N 12.Ng5+ Qxg5 13.0–0+) 12.Qxb4 Qe7 13.Qxe7+ Kxe7 14.bxc3 c5 15.0–0 Rf8 16.Bg5+ Ke8 17.Ne5 Rxf1+ 18.Rxf1 Be6 19.a3 Nd7 20.Nd3 Bc4 21.Rd1 Bxd3 22.Rxd3 Nb6 23.e5 Nc4 24.e6 h6 25.Bh4 g5 26.Bf2 b6 27.Rd7 Rd8 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.a4 Ke7 30.Kf1 Kxe6 31.Ke2 Kf5 32.Bg3 Ne5 33.Ke3 a6 34.Kd2 Nc4+ 35.Kc2 Ke6 36.Bf2 Kd5 37.Kb3 Nd2+ 38.Kc2 Ne4 39.Be1 Kc4 40.g4 Nf6 41.h3 Ne4 0–1 Anastasiev,V (2046) -- Konyshev,A (2379) Kemerovo 2011.

8...Qh4+ 9.Kd2

Stockfish 4 prefers 9.g3 Qxe4+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2+ 11.Bxe2 when for the pawn, White has a huge lead in development. But, with neither targets nor weaknesses in Black's position, White lacks compensation.

Black to move

9...Bc5

9...Qf2+ 10.Kc3 Nd7 was suggested by Stockfish.

10.c3

Stockfish prefers 10.Nf3 Qxe4.

10...Bxd4

The engine likes 10...0–0.

11.cxd4 Qxe4

I had been following the single reference game because the win of this pawn seemed to offer me sufficient chances for clear advantage. My engine suggests improvements on the previous two moves, as noted above.

White to move

12.Bd3N

Now, I'm on my own, but with a nice position. My reference game continued 12.Qe1 Qxe1+ 13.Kxe1 Be6 14.b3 0–0 15.Bc4 Nd7 16.Ba3 Rfe8 17.Kf2 Nf6 18.Rhe1 Bd5 19.Rac1 Rad8 20.Be7 Rd7 21.Bxf6 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 gxf6 23.a4 Bxc4 24.bxc4 Rxd4 25.a5 Rxc4 26.Re7 Rc5 27.a6 bxa6 0–1 Krueger,W -- Rasmussen,J ICCF corr 1990.

12...Qxd4 13.Re1+ Be6 14.Re4

Black to move

14...Qf2+

This direct attack is not best. Better was 14...Qd6 I need to learn to consolidate, just as I need to learn to build pressure.

15.Re2

If 15.Qe2, I would have responded Qxe2+. (15...Qc5 is probably better).

15...Qc5

Black has a clear advantage.

16.Qa4 Nd7 17.b3 0–0–0

I like it when castling is an attacking move!

17...0–0 did not look as good 18.Qh4 Bf5, even though Black still has a clear advantage.

White to move

18.Bb2

18.Ba3 Qd5-+

18...Qd5 19.Qxa7 Nc5 20.Re3

20.Qa8+ Kd7 21.Qa7-+

20...Nxd3 0–1

White resigned.

This game pushed me to my highest ever rating on ChessWorld.net.