Queen's Pawn: Blackmar-Diemer, Vienna & Polish Attack
Queen's Pawn Opening
Definition
The Queen's Pawn Opening is the general term for any opening that begins with the move 1. d4. White advances the queen’s pawn two squares, immediately contesting the center and preparing to bring minor pieces to natural squares (Nf3, Bf4/Bg5, Nc3, etc.). From this single first move springs an entire family of distinguished openings such as the Queen’s Gambit, the Colle System, the London System, and many Indian Defenses.
Typical Move Orders & Branches
- 1…d5 → Queen’s Gambit & Orthodox defenses.
- 1…Nf6 → Indian Defenses (King’s Indian, Nimzo-Indian, Grünfeld, Benoni, Benko, etc.).
- 1…e6 → French or Dutch transpositions, or the Bogo-Indian Complex after 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 Bb4+.
- 1…f5 → Dutch Defense lines.
Strategic Themes
By placing a pawn on d4, White stakes a durable claim in the center. Unlike 1. e4, the pawn on d4 is protected by the queen, so immediate counter-punches are harder for Black. Typical plans revolve around:
- Space & flexibility – White can choose between closed, semi-open, or open structures depending on whether they play c4, e3, or e4.
- Piece activity – Rapid development (Bg5, Bf4, Nf3, Nc3) often leads to harmonious piece play.
- Minor-piece pressure – Nimzo-like pins (Bb5+), or Bishop-pair battles in Indian Defenses.
Historical Significance
Although 1. e4 dominated 19th-century romantic chess, the rise of positional play—spearheaded by Wilhelm Steinitz and later the Hyper-Modern school—made 1. d4 fashionable. World Champions from Capablanca to Carlsen have relied heavily on Queen’s-pawn systems.
Illustrative Mini-Game
Below is a bare-bones “skeleton” example showing how fluidly 1. d4 can transpose:
After 8…e5, White sacrifices the d4-pawn for rapid development, reaching a King’s Indian Saemisch-type ending where Black’s queen is forced off the board.
Interesting Facts
- 1. d4 accounts for about 38-40 % of master-level openings in modern databases.
- The shortest decisive World Championship game ever (Fischer–Spassky, Game 6, Reykjavik 1972) began 1. d4 and lasted only 41 moves before Spassky resigned to a positional masterpiece.
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
Definition
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (BDG) is an aggressive queen’s-pawn gambit that arises after 1. d4 d5 2. e4 (the Blackmar line) dxe4 3. Nc3 (the Diemer continuation). White sacrifices a pawn to accelerate development and launch a rapid kingside attack. The gambit is controversial: adored by club players for its tactical fireworks, yet viewed skeptically by many grandmasters for its objective soundness.
Main Lines
- 3…Nf6 4. f3 – the most common. After 4…exf3 5. Nxf3, White has full compensation in piece activity.
- 3…e5 – the Vienna Defense (to the BDG, not to be confused with the Vienna Game). Black grabs more space but walks into pins after 4. Nxe4.
- 3…c6 – the solid Pawlak Advance.
Strategic Ideas
- Rapid deployment: Bc4, Qe2–O-O-O, and Rooks to the e- and d-files.
- Typical sacrifices: Greek Gift (Bxh7+), piece sacrifices on f7/e6, and rook lifts (Rf1-f3-h3).
- Endgame risk: If Black neutralizes the attack, the extra pawn may prevail.
Historical Notes
The line is named after the German players Armand Blackmar (who introduced 2. e4 in the 1880s) and Emil Josef Diemer (who added 3. Nc3 in the 1930s). Diemer famously called it “the prayer chess opening”—you pray your attack lands before the endgame arrives!
Famous Encounter
Diemer – Sahovic, Bled 1959: Diemer unleashed the classic piece sacrifice 9. Nxf7! leading to a mating net. Although not top-tier, the game remains a BDG showcase.
Interesting Facts
- The gambit’s ECO code is D00, the very first entry in the Queen’s-pawn section.
- Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura once essayed a BDG-style pawn sacrifice in bullet chess, joking, “Sometimes you just need the spirit of Diemer!”
Vienna Game
Definition
The Vienna Game is an Open-game opening that starts 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3. By delaying Nf3, White keeps the f-pawn free to advance (f2–f4) in some lines, aiming for a delayed King’s Gambit–style assault or a quiet Giuoco-style development. The opening bears the name of 19th-century Viennese masters who refined its theory.
Main Systems
- Vienna Gambit: 2…Nf6 3. f4 exf4 4. e5 Ng8 with sharp attacking prospects for White.
- Spielmann Variation: 2…Nf6 3. g3, fianchettoing the king’s bishop à la Catalan.
- Max Lange Defense: 2…Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 leading to Italian-like positions.
Strategic Motifs
Because Nc3 blocks the c-pawn, White commits to slower queenside play but gains:
- Extra central control (two pieces eye e4 & d5).
- Flexible f-pawn: f2–f4 can hit the e5-pawn or support e4–e5.
- Dark-square play: Bc4 plus queen on h5/g4 intensify pressure on f7.
Historical Highlights
The Vienna Game reached peak popularity in the Romantic Era, producing classics like Steinitz – Anderssen, London 1866. Richard Réti, Hans Kmoch, and Rudolf Spielmann— all Viennese luminaries—expanded its theory in the 1920s.
Modern Reference Game
Shirov – Mamedyarov, Linares Blindfold 2007: In a rapidblind event, Shirov revived the Vienna Gambit and won a miniature brimming with piece sacrifices and an exposed black king.
Interesting Facts
- The line 2. Nc3 was briefly called the “Chigorin Attack” before “Vienna Game” became standard.
- The strongest engine choice after 2. Nc3 is often 2…Nf6, inviting crazy sidelines humans seldom analyze deeply.
Polish Attack
Definition
The term Polish Attack most commonly denotes White’s system against the King’s Indian Defense: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4. Named after Polish grandmasters who popularized the fianchetto-in-reverse idea, it aims to neutralize Black’s central thrust …e5 by exerting early control over the e5-square.
Typical Continuation
White safely develops, keeps the pawn structure solid, and often follows up with c2–c4, Nc3, and queenside expansion.
Strategic Aims
- Clamp on e5: Nd2–f3 and Bf4 repeatedly guard e5, stifling Black’s central break.
- Flexible pawn chain: By delaying c4, White avoids early Benoni-type imbalances.
- Queenside space: a2–a4–a5 and b2–b4 expansions are common.
Historical & Nomenclature Notes
The system was championed by Polish players such as Akiba Rubinstein and later Ksawery Tartakower, though the exact naming is anecdotal rather than official. It should not be confused with the Polish Opening (1. b4) or the Orangutan, despite occasional overlap in literature.
Model Game
Rubinstein – Capablanca, St. Petersburg 1914 (Simul): Rubinstein employed 3. Bf4 to steer the world champion into unfamiliar terrain and achieved an edge, though Capablanca ultimately defended accurately for a draw.
Interesting Facts
- Some databases tag the Polish Attack under ECO code A48 (King’s Indian, Torre/Polish systems).
- Grandmaster Boris Gelfand used the Polish Attack as a surprise weapon against Vishy Anand in the 2012 World-Championship match preparation phase, though it never surfaced over the board.