Pirc Alert.

I am borrowing this title from the book with the same name by GM Alburt and GM Chernin.
On page 436 of their "Pirc Alert!", in chapter 24; white plays 3.f3, we find some possible transpositions to the Blackmar Diemer.

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.f3

The authors indicate "...Finally, Black can play 3...d5!?. Now White can't hope to get an advantage by playing in the spirit of the Scandinavian Defense with 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.c4 Nf6, because the pawn f3 spoils his position. If white plays in gambit style with 4.Nxc3 dxe4 5.Bg5 (5.fxe4 e5!), Black has a simple answer in 5...h6 ..."

Sounds familiar ? In fact, two GMs are quoting Blackmar Diemer positions - provided the white player has an extra move. Whether that extra move is a crucial advantage or not remains to be seen. In fact, several posaitions in the Blackmar Diemer are playable because black has to decide first on his defensive strategy - the fact that white has an extra move might not be an advantage for the attacker, as white has to declare his intentions first and black can react accordingly.

But more on the war of the tempi in a later blog - stay tuned !