The Infamous Ryder Gambit ... some tidbits

There've been a few notes posted recently regarding the Ryder Gambit, asking and opining about it soundness or lack thereof. I'd thought I'd offer a little fodder for the discussion.

Diemer's own book, Das moderne Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, first arrived in 1957, though my copy is a later edition in 1983. This book is essentially a book on the Ryder Gambit. It's in German, as is appropriate, but it's easy enough to follow and a cheap German-English dictionary allowed me to understand most of the valuable commentary. The games and game pieces are fun to go through, though I doubt the evaluations and analysis are all accurate - no computers to check things with back then.

Most other texts on the BDG cover the Ryder, if just to convince you that overall it's bad. The most complete text I have found on that particular gambit is Schiller and Crayton's volume that dates from 1995. Their conclusion is pretty much the same as all the rest: if Black makes a mistake, White can often crush Black, but if Black plays the best line(s), White is simply two pawns down or worse.

I will offer the critical line here - at least that claimed critical by Schiller and Crayton.

The embedded game is considered the stem game for Black's defeat of White in the Ryder. Of course, the Devil may still be in the details. Just thought I'd like to offer this up for your enjoyment.

Long live the BDG! (but maybe not the Ryder variation)

I learned 7...e5! to refute the Ryder when I was first learning the BDG. This second pawn gambit is only interesting because the trap in it is very tactically instructive. My opinion is: learn the trap, learn one of the refutations, and move on.

Taking the second pawn and refuting in this manner is the best answer for Black, I think. Even so, the game above makes it look much easier than it really is. Nf3 and Bd3 deserve question marks, as I somewhat doubt those are the right squares. Playing Qg4 and then e5 requires cold blood. A less risky, more positional approach exists for the more skittish players.

It's well enough to offer a different idea for Black, perhaps a safer way to ensure his advantage without having to risk going after the 2nd pawn. However, the test of the Ryder - from the White side, at least - is whether he/she can endure the capture of the 2nd pawn, yes? If Black can grab it and keep it, his advantage is even more significant. That would be the question that Schiller and Crayton are testing here.

In your remarks above, you mention that 9.Nf3 and 10.Bd3 might not be your choices for moves there. Good points, of course. Schiller have another game where 9.Bd3 is played, and offer 10.Nb5 as a possible alternative for 10.Bd3 [although the postal game between Alle and Wundt (1982) was won by Black].

It's a moot point for me. My answer to the Blackmar-Diemer is typically the Lembergher defense.

I think c6 still tests the system uniquely to the BDG. Black aims to show that the Queen's placement on f3 makes no sense in a normal Ziegler/Tartakower type setup.

Yes, c6 works well in almost all cases I've seen. Thwarts most of what White might try in the way of tricks.

You obviously miss that after 5...c6 play resembles a Teichmann Defense. White should play 6 Be3, 7 Bd3, 8 Nge2, 9 00 and get pressure for the sacrificed pawn.

After 6... Qb4 why not play 7. 0-0-0. It gets white a substantial lead in development even if black decides not to trade queens. If black does than white is 1 move away from full development after the obvious knight recapture. and black is extremely far behind. I would think that would be ample conpensation for two pawns. I'm not completely sure I'm not the best chess player and I'm fairly new at it, but it seems like a good continuation for me.

Maybe not from an engine point of view but playing it against another human I would say the ability you're going to have to launch an attack before they can even develop would be quite deadly. Since not most human players make the best moves enough times in a row to properly defend. Just my take

The BDG mainline is no less dangerous for Black, and in that case you're not completely screwed if Black defends well.

It's harder than ever to play gambits in the era of engines. People have more tools at their disposal than ever before to tighten their openings and prepare answers for every pet line they encounter. Maybe it does well in blitz. I have no idea honestly, but I'm wary that it's too known.

Wish this gambit worked. It is pretty cool. Cannot believe 7...e5 just refutes it.

Yeah, Schiller is right. This line is just bad. If Black defends correctly, White won't be able to overwhelm him and will struggle to draw the endgame. However, Black needs to defend actively and can't allow himself a move of sleep. 

Actually, I have never played the critical line with the ...e5. But I have faced the c6 and Bg4 line countless times. I often manage to transpose there from Caro-kann defence ^_^ While it's safer for Black, it's still very tricky.