RIP : the "normal" Teichmann Defense

In my book "Attack With the Blackmar Diemer", I had given an "equal" assessment of the "normal" variation in the Teichmann defense occuring after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 4.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qf3 c6 10.g5 Nd5

I showed in an earlier column that 10...Nh5 is much stronger than 10...Nd5, however the latter is more natural and will me played more often by a Teichmann defender.

In my book, I gave the line 11.Bd3 Nd7 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.00 Qe7 14.Nxd5 cxd5 ( diagram ) as the best option for black, and gave it equality after 15.Bd2

However, it seems that the quiet 15.Rf2 gives white a distinct advantage, eg :

a/ 15...f5 16.gxf6 gxf6 17.Bxg6+ Kd8 18.c4 (+=)

b/ 15...000 16.Qxf7
...b1/ 16...Rxh3 17.Qxg6 (+=)
...b2/ 16...Rh4 17.Kg2 (+=)
...b3/ 16...Qxf7 17.Rxf7 (+-)
...b4/ 16...Rh5 17.Qxg6 (+-)
...b5/ 16...e5 17.Qxg6 (+=)
...b6/ 16...Qd6 17.Kg2 (+-)

c/ 15...Rh5 16.Qg4
...c1/ 16...000 17.Bf4 (+=)
...c2/ 16...Rc8 17.Bd2 (+=)
...c3/ 16...e5 17.Bd2 (+-)
...c4/ 16...Kd8 17.Bd2 (+=)

d/ 15...Rh4 16.Be3
...d1/ 16...e5 17.Qxd5 (+=)
...d2/ 16...000 17.Qg3 (+=)
...d2/ 16...Rh5 17.Kh2 (+=)

e/ 15...a6 16.Bd2 (+=)

f/ 15...Nb6 16.Bf4 (+=)

Interesting to see is that Scheerer gives 15.c4 as the recommended move, as in a Leisebein correspondence game, but Houdini believes 15...Nb6 (=) is better than the suggested 15...dxc4.

So, 15.Rf2 clearly puts the "normal" Teichmann line 14...Nd5 to rest. May it rest in peace.

Nightmare on e4-street

Yesterday evening I played an interesting Blackmar gambit in our local chess club. I defended the black pieces and my opponent "wanted to play something aggressive". Now there is a slight difference between aggressive and correct. But this wont be an issue for the average Blackmar Diemer player I guess.

1.e4 d5 2.d4 exd4 3.f3
The Blackmar gambit, invented in 1882 by Armand Edward Blackmar.

3...e5
This countermove was quickly found by Oskar Cordel and buried the Blackmar gambit.

4.Be3 exd4 5.Bxd4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Be3
Wanting to hold on to the bishop, interesting, but too slow

7...Bd6 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.Qd2 Qe7 10.000 000 11.Bg5 Bb4

My pawn at e4 is obvioulsy a huge problem for my opponent

12.a3
Obviously a mistake, as it weakens his kingside

12...Bf5
An even bigger mistake from my side. As soon as I played the move, I saw white's punishment

13.Qf4 Bxc3 14.Qxf5+ Kb8
A difficult situation has come up. White cant take the piece, but realises he has to develop quickly, but how ? My pawn on e4 becomes a real nightmare.

15.Rxd8+ Rxd8 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Ne2
Finally the white pieces get mobilised - but too late.

17...Rd5 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Qh3 Bxb2+ !!
This morning, I see that my computer announces mate in 12 - impossible to see for me, a mere woodchopper - but I just sensed a mate was in the air as white's pieces are far away from the battlefield. Sometimes you just have to follow your instincts behing the chessboard.

20.Kxb2 Rb5+ 21.Ka2 Qc5 22.Rc1 Qd5+ 23.Ka1 Qe5+ 24.c3 Qc5 25.Ka2 Qd5+ 26.Ka1 Qb3 0-1

So dont try the Blackmar gambit, as the pawn on e4 is there to cripple your game for ever !!

Ziegler innovation

In my book "Attack with the Blackmar Diemer", I included some notes on an interesting line that was originally suggested by Stefan Buecker on chesscafe.com. ( In fact I called this the O'Kelly line, partly in honour of Belgian player Alberic O'Kelly De Galway who was the third correspondence chess worldchampion between 1958 and 1962 ). After 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.f3 c6 5.Bc4 exf3 6.Nxf3 Bf5, it was suggested to play 7.g4 !!

Taking the pawn with the bishop yields an even game, eg 7...Bxg4 8.Bxg7+ Kxg7 9.Ne5+ followed by 10...Nxg4

The sacrifice can be declined by 7...Bg6, aftre which white has the luxury of the choice after 8.Nh4, 8.Ne5 or 8.g5. As of yet, it is unclear what is best.

Accepting the sacrifice with 7...Nxg4 is obviouly critical, followed by 8.Nh4. This page will focus on defending the bishop with 8...g6
My book suggested 9.Bg5 but this seems to be insufficient after 9...h6
The complicated 9.Rg1 is suggested by Houdini

a/ 9...h5 10.Nxf5 gxf5 11.h3 Nf6 12.Qd3 and black is better (=+)
b/ 9...Bf6 10.Nxf5 gxf5 11.Be3 and black has no weaknesses (=+)
c/ 9...b5 10.Bb3 a5 11.a3 (=+)
d/ 9...Bh6 10.Rxg4 (=)
e/ 9...Qd7 10.Nxf5 gxf5 11.h3 with some white chances (=)
f/ 9...Nd7 10.Rxg4 (=)

So as far I can see, there seems to be no suitable white continuation after 8...g6 9.Rg1. Maybe Rg1 is wrong, but there dont seem to be much alternatives to complicate the game. So let's burry 7.g4 quickly !

What about the Pietrowsky ?

The Pietrowsky defensive 4...exf3 5.Nxf3 Nc6 (diagram) is difficult to play for both black and white.

White's careless 6.d5 is weak, as the pawn on d5 because an easy target after 6...Nb4, so white should definitely choose 6.Bb5.

Black's natural reply is 6...Bd7, preventing a doubled c pawn. White's strongest move is supposed to be 7.00, but 7.Qe2 is surely worth a try.

The position after 7.00 is doubled edged : White has some initiative for the pawn, but black has no obvious weaknesses, so white must be very carefull not to overextend.

a/ 7.00 e6 8.d5

...a1/ 8...Bc5+ 9.Kh1
......a1a/ 9...Nb4 10.dxe6 (=)
......a1b/ 9...exd5 10.Nxd5 (=)
......a1c/ 9...Nxd5 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Qxd5 (+)
......a1d/ 9...Ne7 10.dxe6 (+=)
......a1e/ 9...Nb8 10.Bc4 (+=)
...a2/ 8...Nb4 9.dxe6
......a2a/ 9...fxe6 10.Bc4 (=)
......a2b/ 9...Bc5+ 10.Nd4 (=)
......a2c/ 9...Bxb5 10.Nxb5 (=)
...a3/ 8...exd5 9.Nxd5 (=)
...a4/ 8...Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.Qxd5 (+=)

b/ 7.00 a6 8.Bxc6 Bxc6 9.Ne5

...b1/ 9...e6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Qf3 (=)

So white's winning chances are quite limited after 7.00. Let's now look at the alternative 7.Qe2.

c/ 7.Qe2 a6 8.Bc4

...c1/ 8...e6 9.d5 Na5 10.dxe6
......c1a/ 10...fxe6 11.bxe6 (=)
......c1b/ 10...Bxe6 11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Bg5 (+=)
...c2/ 8...b5 9.Bb3
......c2a/ 9...Na5 10.Ne5 (=)
......c2b/ 9...e6 10.d5 (=)
......c2c/ 9...Bg4 10.Be3 (=)
......c2c/ 9...Bf5 10.Ne5 (+=)
...c3/ 8...Bg4 9.Be3 (=)
...c4/ 8...Bf5 9.d5 (=)
...c5/ 8...Na5 9.Bd3
......c51/ 9...g6 10.b4 Nc6 11.Ne4 (=)
......c52/ 9...Nc6 10.a3 (=)
......c53/ 9...Bg4 10.Ne4 (=)
......c54/ 9...e6 10.Bg5 (=)

d/ 7.Qe2 e6 8.d5

...d1/ 8...Nb4 9.dxe6 fxe6 10.Bg5
......d11/ 10...c6 11.000 (=)
......d12/ 10...Nc6 11.000 (+=)
......d13/ 10...Bd6 11.Qxe6+ (+=)
......d14/ 10...Be7 11.Bxf6 (++)
......d15/ 10...Bxb5 11.Nxb5 (+=)
...d2/ 8...Nb4 9.dxe6 Bxb5 10.Nxb5 (+=)
...d3/ 8...Na5 9.dxe6 fxe6 10.Bf4 (+=)
...d4/ 8...Ne7 9.dxe6 fxe6 10.Bg5 (+=)
...d5/ 8...Nb8 9.dxe6 fxe6 10.Bg5 (+=)

e/ 7.Qe2 g6 8.d5
...e1/ 8...Nb4 9.Bg5 (=)
...e2/ 8...Na5 9.Bxd7+ (+)
...e3/ 8...Nb8 9.Bg5 (=)


So there is no spectacular chess after black's timid 5...Nc6. Playing solid seems to be the recommended approach. The problem is that there is not much else after 5...Nc6. 6.Bd3 is obviously bad because of 6...g6 and 6.Bc4 is countered by 6...e6.

So the only alternative to 6.Bb5 is moving the queen's bishop, either to e3, f4 or g5.

Anyway, seems like the Pietrowsky is a simple equalizing line for the cautious black defender.

What the hec ?

I played a nice game yesterday. My opponent was playing comfortably and suddenly his world collapsed.

1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3
The Teichmann Exchange defense

7...c6 8.g4 Qxd4 9.Be3
Black grabs a second pawn, realising that white has a terrible initiative.

9...Qe5 10.000 e6 11.g5
The thematic advance is here correct as well.

11...Nd5
Wrong - but what human is able to predict the outcome of the resulting complications ?

12.Nxd5 cxd5
12...exd5 is visually worse, as the queen gets cornered, eg 13.Bf4 Qe6 14.Qg3 (++)

13.Bf4 Qe4 14.Qxe4 dxe4 15.Bxb8
Removing black's possibility to block the bishop's check. Now black's world collapses.

15...Rxb8 16.Bb5+ Ke7 17.Rd7+ Ke8 18.Rxb7+
18.Rhd1 would have been even stronger, but black wisely resigned here.

What a line ! Black's 11th move was bad and leads to a forced loss, but the defender did not realise it untill move 16.

11...Nfd7 would have been stronger, with white having only a small lead after 12.Be2

Great improvement in the Teichmann Defense

In my book, "Attack with The Blackmar Diermer", I had suggested 10...Nh5 (diagram) as black's best choice in the Teichmann defense after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qf3 c6 10.g5

White does not have an immediate attack anymore. In my book, I suggested both 11.Bd3 and 11.Be3 as potential continuations, but sticked to 11.Bd3 as the main move. However, I believed black could get the better play after 11...Qxd4 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Rf1 Nd7 14.Qxf7+ Kd8 15.Qxe6 Bb4 16.Be3. I classified this position as slightly better for black. But yesterday I discovered that 16.Bd2 (diagram) saves the day for white.

Black's strongest move 16...Re8 brings only equality after 17.Qxe8+ Kxe8 18.Bxg6+ and despite his material supremacy, black is fighting for equality, eg

a/ 18...Kd8 19.000
...a1/ 19...Qh5 20.Rf7
......a1a/ 20...Ng3 21.Bf4 (+=)
......a1b/ 20...Kc7 21.Rxd7+ (+=)
......a1c/ 20...Be7 21.Ne4 (+=)
......a1d/ 20...Bxc3 21.bxc3 (+=)
...a2/ 19...Kc7 20.Bxh5 Rf8 21.Bf4+
......a21/ 21...Rxf4 22.Rxd4 Rxf1+ 23.Rd1 (=)
......a22/ 21...Qxf4+ 22.Rxf4 Rxf4 23.Ne2 (+=)
...a3/ 19...Bxc3 20.Bxc3 Qe3+ 21.Bd2 Qxh3 22.Bf5 Qxh1 23.Rxf1 (=)
...a4/ 19...Ng3 20.Bf4 (+)

b/ 18...Ke7 19.000
...b1/ 19...Ne5 20.Bxh5 (=)
...b2/ 19...Rh8 20.Rfe1+ (=)
...b3/ 19...Ndf6 20.a3 (+=)
...b4/ 19...Nhf6 20.gxf6 Nxf6 21.Bh6 (=)
...b5/ 19...Bxc3 20.Bxc3 Qe3+ 21.Bd2 (+)
...b6/ 19...Bd6 20.Bxh5 (+=)
...b7/ 19...Rf8 20.Rfe1+ Kd8 21.Bxh5 Kc7 22.Re4 (+=)

Such is life in the Blackmar Diemer - black thinks he has the advantage, but actually he is fighting for equality.


There was another line that I believed gave black the advantage : 13...Qh4+ 14.Kd1 f5 15.gxf6 Nxf6 16.Bxg6+. There unfortunately it seems that white will have to play an endgame a pawn down after 16...Kd8 17.Ne4 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Qxe4 19.Bxe4. But more on that line later.