BDG Wrecks on the Rock

The 2010 Gibtelecom Masters is underway in Gibraltar, a spectacular site even if you do play inside. Here's a BDG that crashed on the rock there.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H

Helin, M. 1972 - Aerni, A. 2137

0-1 (8th Gibtelecom Masters) 1/26/2010

[#] 1.e4 d5 2.d4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Qe1 Bg4 9.Qh4 Nc6 10.Be3 Bxf3 11.Rxf3 Qd7 12.h3 Rad8 13.Rd1

[13.Ne2 Nd5 14.Bh6 Nb6 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Bb5 a6 17.Bxc6 Qxc6 18.Raf1 Qd6 19.Qf2 f6 20.c3 Nc4 21.Ng3 c5 22.Ne4 Qb6 23.Nxc5 Rd5 24.Re1 e5 25.b3 Na3 26.c4 Rxd4 27.Nd7 Qd6 28.Nxf8 1-0 Hickman,H-Buckingham,W, corr 1962 [BDG2/3/9]]

13...Nb4 14.Bb3 Qc6

[14...c6 15.Bh6 Nbd5 16.Ne2 b5 17.c3 a5 18.Ng3 a4 19.Bxd5 Qxd5 20.Nf5 gxf5 21.Qg5 Ne8 22.Bxg7 1-0 Teichmann,C-de Glopper/corr WT/M/GT/313 1993]

15.Bh6 Qb6 16.Na4 Qb5 17.Nc5 b6 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rxf6?

[19.Ne4 Nxe4 20.Qxe4 e5 21.Rdf1= ]

19...exf6 20.Rf1 Qc6 21.Ne4 Rxd4 22.Qxf6+ Qxf6 23.Nxf6 Nc6 24.g4 Ne5 25.Kg2 c5 26.g5 c4 27.Ba4 a6 28.Re1 b5 29.Bxb5 axb5 30.Rxe5 b4 31.a4 bxa3 32.bxa3 Rd2+ 33.Kf3 Rxc2 34.a4 Ra2 35.a5 Ra3+ 36.Ke4 Ra8 37.h4 R3xa5 38.Re7 Rc8 39.Ng4 Rac5 40.Ne5 Rxe5+ [0-1]

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Tim McGrew and the Winckelmann Gambit

How about something different? Here a game from the March-April 1996 issue of BDG World, in which our hero Tim McGrew takes on IM Anna Gulko in an ICC game. The opening is the Winckelmann Gambit in the French--it's okay, the f-pawn gets offered. Elaborate notes by Tim:

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H

McGrew, Tim 2400 - Anna Gulko 2255

1-0 (ICC) 1995

[#] 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3!? No matter against whom ... 6...exf3 7.Nxf3 Nd7 8.Bd3 I have a mild preference for delaying the development of the Queen's Bishop until Black has announced his intentions with ...0-0 or ...h6. Of course, a strong player can find constructive things to do without telegraphing the King's location, and IM Gulko does just that. But there is a price for playing the waiting game: Black's King remains in the center for some time. 8...Ngf6 9.O-O b6 10.Bg5

[10.Ne5 Bb7 (10...O-O 11.Qf3 Rb8 12.Nc6 Bb7 13.Nxd8 Bxf3 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Rxf3 e5 16.Bg5² ) 11.Qe2 O-O 12.Bg5 Qc8 13.Nxd7 (13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.Rxf6!? is good for a draw: 14...gxf6 15.Qg4+ Kh8 16.Qh4 f5 17.Qf6+= ; 13.Ng4?! is less good since 13...Nxg4 14.Qxg4 f5 15.Qe2 Nf6 16.Bxf6 Rxf6µ lets Black hold onto his material, though mobilizing the Kingside majority will present technical difficulties because of White's grip on e4 and e5.) 13...Nxd7 14.Be7!? picks up some material because of 14...Re8 15.Bxh7+ Kxh7 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.Qxf7+ Kh8 18.Rf4 mating]

10...Bb7 11.Qe1

[11.Ne5 doesn't work any more because Black has a quick mate threat on g2: 11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 Qd5!µ ]

11...h6 12.Bh4

[12.Qh4!? was also possible, as Black cannot castle: 12...O-O 13.Bxh6 gxh6 14.Qxh6 Ne4 15.Rae1 Qf6 16.Qh5 Qg7 17.Bxe4 Nf6 18.Qe5 Nxe4 19.Rxe4 Bxe4 20.Qxe4 Rfe8 21.Ne5 f5 22.Qc6 Qe7 23.Rf3 Qxa3 24.Rg3+ Kf8 25.h3! Qd6 26.Qf3! ]

12...Qe7 Black has cleverly kept her options open for castling on either wing. At this point, it's important to make things hot on the Queenside to discourage castling there; fortunately, between the a-pawn, the open b-file, and the diagonals leading to a6 and c7, White has enough pressure to make life very uncomfortable for the Black King. In any event, Black decides (sensibly) to strike back in the center. The down side of this is that Black's King now has to go to the Kingside or be caught in the center. 13.a4 c5

[13...O-O is risky since White has typical BDG themes in the coming Kingside attack: 14.Qf2 (14.Ne5 is natural, but the standard exchange sac on f6 once again yields only a perpetual: 14...Qd6 15.Bxf6!? (15.Bg3!? might be worth a look, forsaking the assault on f6 for centralization of the major pieces, e.g. 15...Qd5 16.Qd2 c6 17.Rf3 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Ng4 19.Re1 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Qa2 21.Rg3 Kh8 22.Rh5 ) 15...Nxf6 16.Rxf6 gxf6 17.Qg3+ Kh8 18.Qh4 Kg7 19.Qg3+ Kh8 20.Qe3 Kg7= ) 14...c5 15.Rae1 Rac8 16.Ne5 Qe8 17.Bb5! This twist is the only way to prove that White is winning. It's worth remembering when Black has Knights on f6 and d7 and has just slipped out of the pin -- sometimes, you have to pin the other Knight! 17...a6 (17...g5 18.Qg3 Qd8 (18...Nh5 is a defens ive resource that must always be taken into account. Here it fails since after 19.Qh3 gxh4 20.Bxd7 Qe7 21.Bxc8 Bxc8 22.Re4 Ba6 23.Rfe1 Ng7 24.Qxh4 White's material advantage is too great) 19.Bxg5 Nh5 (19...hxg5 20.Qxg5+ Kh8 21.Bxd7 Nh7 (21...Nxd7 22.Qh5+ Kg8 23.Rxf7 ) 22.Nxf7+ Rxf7 23.Qxd8+ Rxd8 24.Rxf7 ) 20.Bxd8+ Nxg3 21.Bxd7 Nxf1 22.Bxc8 Bxc8 23.Rxf1 Rxd8 24.Nxf7 Rd7 25.Nxh6+ Kg7 26.Ng4 cxd4 27.Ne5 ) 18.Bxf6 axb5 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.Qg3 g6 (20...g5? 21.Bxg5 ) 21.Re5! Qd6 22.Qh4 Kh7 23.Rf4 ]

14.a5 a6 15.axb6 Nxb6 16.Ne5 Nbd5 17.Rb1 Rc8

[17...O-O is suicical at this point: 18.c4 (18.Qg3 Kh8 19.c4 Nb4 20.Rxb4! cxb4 21.Rxf6 also does the trick; 18.Ng4 Qc7 19.Nxf6+ Nxf6 20.Rxf6 gxf6 21.Bxf6 is a third way!) 18...Nb4 19.Rxb4! cxb4 20.Rxf6! Qd6! (20...g5 21.Rxh6 gxh4 22.Rxh4 f5 23.Rh8+ Kxh8 24.Ng6+ ) 21.Qf2! Qc7 22.Rxh6 Rac8 23.Bf6 ]

18.Bg6! A very enjoyable move to find with one's clock ticking! Black, who has been unable to castle because of the foregoing tactics, will now have to forfeit the privilege permanently. 18...Rf8

[18...O-O is still unplayable: 19.c4 (19.Be4 Ba8 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 21.Ng4 Qd6 (21...Qc7 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Qh4 f5 24.Nxh6+ Kg7 25.Nxf5+ exf5 26.Qg5+ Kh7 27.Qxf5+ Kg7 28.Qg4+ Kh8 29.Rf5 ) 22.Bxf6 gxf6 and now White has a choice of pleasant finishes: 23.Qh4! (23.Rxf6! Qc7 (23...Qe7 24.Nxh6+ Kh7 25.Ng8! ; 23...Kg7 24.Qh4 Rh8 25.Rbf1 Qe7 26.Ne5 ) 24.Qh4 Be4 25.Rxh6 f5 26.Nf6+ Rxf6 27.Rh8+ Kg7 28.Qh7# ) 23...f5 24.Nxh6+ Kg7 25.Qg5+ Kh7 26.Ng4 f6 (26...fxg4 27.Rf6 ) 27.Qh6+ Kg8 28.Qg6+ Kh8 29.Nxf6 Rxf6 30.Qxf6+ Kg8 31.Rxf5 ) 19...Nb4 20.c3 Nc6 21.Be4 Na5 22.Bxb7 Nxb7 23.Ng4 Qc7 24.Bxf6 Na5 25.Nxh6+ is another way to win.;

18...fxg6 would leave Black down in material with his King under fire, e.g. 19.Nxg6 Qd7 20.Rxb7 Qxb7 21.Qxe6+ Ne7 22.Re1 Rc7 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.Nxh8 Qc6 25.Qg8+ Kd7 26.Qf8 Qd6 27.Ng6 Nxg6 28.Qe8# ]

19.Bd3 Mission accomplished! I decided to resist the tempting

[19.Nxf7 Rxf7 20.Rxb7 Qxb7 21.Qxe6+ Kf8 22.Bxf7 Rc6 23.Qxd5 Nxd5 24.Bxd5+ Ke8 25.Re1+ Kf8 26.Be7+ Ke8 27.Bxc5+ Kd8 when the position is unclear]

19...g5 20.Bg3 Rg8

[20...Nf4 21.Bxf4 gxf4 22.Rxf4 Rc7 23.Qf2 Nd5 24.Rxf7 Rxf7 25.Bg6 ;

20...Rd8 21.Ng6 fxg6 22.Rxb7 Qxb7 23.Qxe6+ Qe7 24.Bxg6+ Rf7 25.Bxf7+± ]

21.Nc4 Suddenly there's a family fork on the horizon, but there is no defense against it. 21...Nf4

[21...Rd8 is relatively best, but White is winning after 22.Nd6+ Rxd6 23.Bxd6 Qxd6 24.Rxb7 ]

22.Rxb7 [1-0]

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Maybe Next Year

As I write this the new year has arrived in London, and as far as I know, the promised new book, "The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: A Modern Guide to a Fascinating Chess Opening," from Everyman Chess, has not. The Everyman website still has the book due in the USA in December. However, a reader recently informed me that he had heard from Everyman that "This title is now looking like a March publication."

So, maybe next year. Or by the time you're reading this, maybe this year. Maybe 2010.

And maybe next year this year, 2010, I'll get back to more frequent postings on these pages.

Thank you for reading this. May the new year bring you and yours the best of everything.

No maybe about that.

Two Draws in the Alapin-Diemer

An Alapin-Diemer Gambit turned up in today's TWIC. White's offer of the f-pawn is met by its old nemesis, e7-e5. Two draws in this line for you:

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H

Knoop, W (2059 - Van de Griendt, JW (2352)

1/2-1/2 (TCh-NED 2009-10) 9/26/2009

[#] 1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.Be3 dxe4 4.Nd2 Nf6 5.c3 Nc6 6.f3 e5 7.dxe5 Nxe5 8.Nxe4 Qxd1+ 9.Rxd1 Nxe4 10.fxe4 Be6 11.b3

[11.Bd4 Nc6 12.Bb5 a6 13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.a3 O-O-O 15.b4 Bb3 16.Rd2 Re8 17.Re2 Bc4 18.Re3 Bd6 19.g3 f5 20.Ne2 Be5 21.Kd2 Bxe2 22.Rxe2 Bxd4 23.cxd4 fxe4 24.Rhe1 Rhf8 1/2-1/2 Hashemi,A-Liepold,S/Bayern 2003/EXT 2004]

11...a5 12.Nf3 Nxf3+ 13.gxf3 Be7 14.Rg1 Bh4+ 15.Bf2 Bxf2+ 16.Kxf2 O-O 17.c4 Rfd8 18.Be2 Kf8 19.Ke3 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Ke7 21.f4 [1/2-1/2]

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Good Enough for Alekhine

Here's a BDG that showed up in this week's TWIC. It's a line that you don't see that often--although Alekhine once played it in a simultaneous exhibition (see the second game).

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H

Morcom, H. - Brooker, Chris H

1-0 (Guernsey Open) 10/21/2009

[#] 1.e4 d5 2.d4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.f3 exf3 5.Qxf3 Bc8 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Nge2 c6

[I found an old game of mine in this line that went 7...g6 8.Bg5 Bg7 9.O-O-O O-O 10.h4 h5 11.Rdf1 Nbd7 12.Nf4 c6 13.Nxg6 Re8 14.Nf4 e6 15.Nxh5 Kf8 16.Nxg7 Kxg7 17.Ne4 1-0 Purser,T-Rene/skittles, Robins CC, GA Sept 1991]

8.h3 e6 9.O-O Be7 10.Be3 O-O 11.Kh1 Nbd7 12.Rad1 Nb6 13.Bd3 Nbd5 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bc1 Nb4 16.Bc4 Nbd5 17.a3 b6 18.Bd3 Bb7 19.Ne4 Nxe4 20.Qxe4 g6 21.Bxh6 Nf6 22.Qe5 Re8 23.Rf2 Qb8 24.Rdf1 Kh7 25.Bg5 Qxe5 26.dxe5 Nd5 27.Rxf7+ Kh8 28.Bh6 Kg8 29.Bxg6 Rf8 30.Bxf8 Rxf8 31.c4 Ne3 32.Bh7+ Kh8 33.Rxf8+ Bxf8 34.Rxf8+ Kxh7 35.Rf7+ Kh6 36.Rxb7 Nxc4 37.Rxa7 Nxb2 38.Ra6 Nc4 39.Nd4 Kg5 40.Nxe6+ Kf5 41.Nd4+ Kxe5 42.Nxc6+ Kd6 43.Nb4 Kc5 44.Ra8 Kb5 45.h4 Ne3 46.h5 Ng4 47.Rg8 Nf6 48.Rg6 Nh7 49.h6 Ka5 50.Rg7 Nf6 51.h7 [1-0]

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