Indian Defense: Paleface Attack & BDG Deferred
Indian Defense: Paleface Attack
Definition
The Paleface Attack is an off-beat but sound system that arises after the initial moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 (or the transposition 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 g6 3. Nf3). By developing the bishop to g5 before committing the c-pawn or the king’s bishop, White “pins” the f6-knight and threatens to exchange it, steering the struggle away from main-line King’s Indian and Grünfeld territory.
Typical Move-Order
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 (3…Bg7 4. Nbd2 or 4. c3 are the most frequent continuations.) The line is coded A48 in ECO.
Strategic Ideas
- Early pin & dark-square control: By targeting the knight on f6, White discourages …d7–d5 and can sometimes double Black’s pawns after Bxf6.
- Flexible centre: Because the c- and e-pawns are still at home, White can choose among c2-c4, e2-e3, or even a later e2-e4 break depending on Black’s setup.
- Psychological weapon: Many King’s Indian and Grünfeld specialists spend their study time on 3. c4 lines; 3. Bg5 side-steps their preparation.
- Delayed castling: White often keeps the king in the centre and uses h2-h4–h5 or Qd2/O-O-O to generate a direct kingside assault.
Historical & Practical Significance
The word “Paleface” was borrowed from the early 20th-century Vienna coffee-house scene, where a local master reputedly quipped that the bishop on g5 “looked a bit pale” against the fianchettoed king. Its modern revival is connected with the popularity of the Trompowsky (1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5). Grandmasters such as Antoaneta Stefanova, Baadur Jobava, and Richard Rapport have employed the Paleface to disarm booked-up King’s Indian players.
Illustrative Mini-Game
In this 2021 rapid game between Baadur Jobava and Pentala Harikrishna (chess.com Speed Chess Championship), White maintained a solid grip on the dark squares and launched a kingside initiative after h2-h4-h5, eventually prevailing in 33 moves.
Interesting Tidbits
- Because the bishop on g5 occasionally retreats to h4, some database programs list the opening as “King’s Fianchetto, Higginbotham Variation” — an obscure homage to American master Jack Higginbotham, who analysed 3…Ne4!?
- Engine evaluations hover around +0.15 to +0.25 for White after 3. Bg5, confirming that the line is objectively sound even if it looks unpretentious.
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Deferred
Definition
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Deferred (BDGD) is an aggressive pawn sacrifice in the Queen’s Pawn Game that postpones the striking move e2-e4 until the third move: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e4!?. After 3…dxe4, White typically continues 4. Ng5 or 4. Ne5, offering rapid development and attacking chances in exchange for the pawn.
Canonical Move-Order
- 1. d4 d5
- 2. Nf3 Nf6
- 3. e4!? dxe4
- 4. Ng5 (main line) 4…Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. f3 exf3 7. Qxf3 – the characteristic BDG structure appears, but White’s knight is already on g5 rather than c3.
Note that in the “classical” BDG (1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3), White commits to 2. e4 at once; the Deferred version gains the waiting move Nf3, which influences subsequent piece placement.
Strategic Themes
- Tempo considerations: By inserting Nf3, White discourages Black’s most theoretical antidotes such as the Ziegler Defense (…e6 & …c5) because the knight can hop to g5 after …e6, exerting extra pressure on f7.
- Piece activity over material: In true BDG spirit White sacrifices a central pawn for open diagonals, rapid development, and potential piece swarms on the kingside dark squares.
- Flexible recapture plans: Depending on Black’s reply, White might recapture the pawn with a piece (Ng5-xe4) or intensify the attack with f2-f3 followed by Qxf3, keeping the e4-pawn as a hook.
- Psychological edge: The opening is beloved by club players and correspondence tacticians; facing it can be uncomfortable for opponents unfamiliar with the nuances.
Historical Notes
Aron Nimzowitsch’s contemporary, Emil Josef Diemer, championed the original BDG in the 1930s–50s. The “Deferred” version was catalogued later by German theoretician Oskar Hansson, but it gained real traction in the 1980s with the writings of American gambiteer GM Lev Gutman. Although modern engines call the position “equal at best” for White, the BDGD remains a staple in thematic tournaments and online blitz.
Sample Attack
R. Raubitschek – C. Schmidt, BDG Thematic, 2018. After 24. Rxf6! White’s doubled rooks and queen overpowered the black king; resignation followed on move 29.
Fun Facts
- The BDGD has its own newsletter, “Blackmar-Diemer Theory”, circulating annotated games among enthusiasts since 1990.
- Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura tried the gambit in a 3-minute game on his stream, sparking a temporary 20 % spike in BDGD usage on chess.com blitz servers the following week.
- Engine gag: Stockfish 15 assesses the main BDGD line at –0.70 yet still offers lines where Black must survive 20 forced moves of tactics—proving why the gambit thrives at faster time controls.