Chess opening · ECO D00
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
White plays 2.e4 against 1...d5 and lets Black take a pawn. The usual follow-up is Nc3, f3 and Nxf3 after Black captures again, leaving White a pawn down but with the f-file half open, quick development and pressure on e5. Black can accept and try to keep the extra pawn, or sidestep the gambit with ...e6 or ...c6.
- Rank by weighted share
- #125 of 159
Key moves
1. d4 d5 2. e4
- 2. e4The e-pawn steps up beside d4 and invites ...dxe4. White wants to rebuild the center with pieces rather than pawns and to use the open lines that appear after f3 for an attack on the kingside.
What White gets for the pawn
The main line runs 2...dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3. White has traded the e and f pawns for one black pawn and now has a knight on f3, a half-open f-file for a rook after castling, and lines open for the bishops toward the black king.
The usual targets are f7 and h7. White often plays Bd3 and Qe1, castles short and swings the queen to h4 or g3. A knight on e5 supported by d4 is a common attacking piece.
Black's quieter routes
After 5.Nxf3 Black can develop with ...e6, ...g6, ...Bf5 or ...Bg4, each meeting the attack differently. Declining at move two is also possible: 2...e6 reaches a French Defense, and 2...c6 a Caro-Kann, with no pawn offered at all.
The accepted main line
2... dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 exf3 5. Nxf3 e6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Bd3
White is a pawn down but has four minor pieces out and is ready to castle. The g5 bishop presses on the f6 knight, while Bd3 aims down the open diagonal at h7, a standard target in this gambit.
Top replies by rating
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | dxe4 67% | e6 12% | c6 8% |
| 1200–1399 | dxe4 73% | e6 11% | c6 6% |
| 1400–1599 | dxe4 78% | e6 10% | c6 5% |
| 1600–1799 | dxe4 79% | e6 9% | c6 7% |
| 1800–1999 | dxe4 82% | e6 8% | c6 5% |
Questions
Can White skip Nc3 and play f3 at once?
Yes. After 2...dxe4 White can push 3.f3 right away. Black then has extra choices, such as striking back in the center with ...e5. That is one reason the main move order brings the knight out first.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.