A defense to The BBlackmar -Diemer

Hi!

I have an OTB tournament game on Monday. I have the black pieces and my opponent plays ALWAYS the Blackmar-Diemer gambit. So, my question is: what would you recommend against it? Should I play a kinda safe variation ( I know I could transpose to the Caro-Kann by 1.d4 d5 2.e4 c6, but I have never played it and do not know the theory etc.) or should I just take the pawn and hope for not getting crushed under 20 moves? Every opinion is appreciated.

Thanks!

The game is still about central control. Try not to let them set up sacs on the castled King with the light-squared Bishop or a Knight that starts to lurk in the 4th/5th rank.

This line looks very good

http://www.chess.com/blog/SWJediknight/blackmar-diemer-gambit-okelly-amp-ziegler-defence

Or you could play 1... Nf6. The Huebsch-Gambit is not good for White. And after d4 Nf6 2.f3 Black can play c5. Ben Oni with f2-f3 makes not much sense for White.

Let's make it happen!

Can't White play 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Rxf6 gf 18.Qxf6?

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/1/172/grandmaster_repertoire_11_-_beating_1.d4_sidelines_by_boris_avrukh/

The Israeli GM has completely dismantled the BDG in this monograph. It uses the O'Kelly/ Ziegler, mentioned in post #3.

18 .... Ng6 looks okay for Black.

I reccomend to take the gambit pawn but don't take the second gambit pawn (The D pawn) with your queen. It's the holasar trap.

Oops. Yeah.

You are wrong, sir... it's a free pawn.

Let's make it happen!

whoops! I meant after bishop out attacking the queen after taking the D pawn and then queen somewhere is the holasar trap

I'm afraid you read too many comics.

This trap can happen only if Black is entirely cooperative- else white is just material down for nothing.

Avrukh has covered 5.Qxf3? Qxd4 6.Be3 Qg4 in his book, but Black has another very strong (and subtle) continuation, namely 6...Qh4+!? after which white is technically lost. I do not know where to attribute this idea, but it had been initially suggested by Mark Nieuweboer at the Chesspub forum.

True, I do read too many comic books. I'm still a kid. I think the holasor trap is 6. Qb4.

Let's make it happen!

I think many lines are "good" vs the BGD. It ultimately depends on you and your technical skill level to adequately bust him up. On a side note: have you been able to get any intel from analysing his games? As an on and off again BGD practitioner, even the "passive & crusty" defence besets many problems/in-game decisions to just keep some kind of initiative. As you had admitted, transposing into an Caro-Kann isn't optimal for you, but i most often do (as black) because i do play the CK as my secondary defence.

Best thing is to play over the suggested lines. Even play it from White's perspective during your preparation. More importantly, just think about equalizing first-meaning, don't immediately go for an questionable counter-attack...let him come to you ("said the Spider to the Fly"). He bound to overreach.

Let's make it happen!

(oh yeah...pinning the QN is really annoying! If anything, exchanging this knight often becomes problematic. Cool. Good luck!)

8)

5...Bg4 just throws away Black's advantage. After 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 c6, white can play 8.Be3, 8.Qf2!? or more enterprisingly 8.g4!?, when he has compensation for the pawn. The bishop pair is a serious issue, and it should not be granted to the opponent that lightly.

6.h3 Bh5 at best leads to ...c6/Bf5 variations (which are best for Black) with white granted a moderately useful h2/h3 extra tempo.