Queen's Pawn Opening with BDG & Vienna Tejler Attack
Queen's Pawn Opening (1. d4)
Definition
The Queen’s Pawn Opening begins with the move 1. d4. White advances the pawn in front of the queen two squares, immediately contesting the central e5-square and opening lines for the dark-squared bishop and the queen. After 1. d4, almost every reply by Black (1…d5, 1…Nf6, 1…f5, 1…e6, 1…g6, etc.) is still considered part of the broad “Queen’s Pawn” family until a more specific structure or opening system is reached.
How it is used in play
1. d4 is the second most popular first move at every rating level (trailing only 1. e4). It leads to a vast range of systems:
- Closed Games (1…d5) — e.g., the Queen’s Gambit (2. c4), the Colle, or the London System.
- Indian Defences (1…Nf6) — e.g., King’s Indian, Grünfeld, Nimzo-Indian, or Queen’s Indian.
- Dutch Defence (1…f5) and rarer sidelines such as 1…c5 (Benoni/Beníko), 1…e6 (transposing to Queen’s Gambit Declined lines), or 1…g6 (Modern Defence).
Strategic Ideas
- Long-term spatial edge: The pawn on d4 restricts Black’s central counter-play and often prepares c4 to build a broad pawn centre (d4-c4).
- Piece Development before Pawn Storms: Queen’s Pawn openings are typically less tactical in the very early moves than 1. e4 openings; middlegame plans often revolve around restrained pawn levers (cxd5, e4, f3–e4, etc.).
- Flexibility & Transposition: Because 1. d4 can transpose into dozens of named openings, players can steer the game toward positions they know best.
Historical Significance
Although 1. d4 was occasionally seen in 19th-century romantic chess, it gained real prominence when Wilhelm Steinitz and Siegbert Tarrasch demonstrated the power of a solid central pawn chain. By the time of the Capablanca–Alekhine World Championship match (1927), 1. d4 was mainstream. Modern champions such as Karpov, Kramnik, Anand and Carlsen have all used it as a primary weapon.
Illustrative Example
The famous first game of the 1972 World Championship match began 1. e4, but the crucial sixth game featured 1. d4:
(Fischer – Spassky, Reykjavík 1972) — Fischer’s switch to 1. d4 surprised Spassky and produced one of the American’s most celebrated strategic wins.
Interesting Facts
- Database statistics show that 1. d4 scores a fraction of a percent higher for White than 1. e4 in master play, largely because many of the sharpest responses (like the Sicilian Defence) are unavailable to Black.
- A common mnemonic to remember standard plans after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 is “Push, capture, push” — referring to White pushing the c-pawn, capturing on d5, and later pushing e4 to gain a classic isolated queen’s pawn structure.
- The move is so universal that some coaches talk about “Queen’s Pawn infrastructure” as a fundamental chess language every serious player must learn.
Blackmar–Diemer Gambit (BDG)
Definition
The Blackmar–Diemer Gambit is an aggressive Queen’s Pawn offshoot in which White sacrifices a pawn for rapid development and attacking chances. The main line runs:
1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 exf3 5. Nxf3
After five moves, White is a pawn down but has two central knights, a half-open f-file, and easy piece play. ECO codes D00–D05 often cover the BDG complex.
Typical Usage & Plans
- Piece swarming: White aims for Bc4, 0-0-0, Rhe1 and sacrificial ideas on e6, f7 or h7.
- Pawns don’t matter — tempi do: Adherents often cite the saying “If Black keeps the pawn, he loses; if he returns the pawn, he still has to defend.”
- Common Black set-ups: …e6 & …c5 (Classical), …g6 (Fianchetto), or an early …Bf5 (Bogoljubov System).
Strategic & Theoretical Assessment
The gambit is regarded as borderline unsound at top-GM level; with precise defence Black can neutralize the attack and keep an extra pawn. Nevertheless, at club and rapid time-controls it remains a feared weapon because one slip can be fatal.
Historical Background
- Armand Edward Blackmar (Louisiana, 1880s) introduced the idea 1. d4 d5 2. e4, but he continued 3. f3 instead of 3. Nc3.
- Emil Josef Diemer (Germany, 1930-1950s) refined the move-order, popularised it in countless exhibitions, and attached his name to the opening. Diemer called it “the morphine of chess” for its addictive combinational possibilities.
Illustrative Miniature
(Diemer – Schaeffer, Bad Boll 1953) White’s schematic attack ends with mate on h7 in only 24 moves.
Interesting Facts
- Enthusiasts often join “BDG fan clubs” online, exchanging the proud greeting “From Gambit to Mate!”
- U.S. Champion Hikaru Nakamura tried the BDG in blitz streams, proving even super-GMs are not immune to its charm.
- Sub-variations have colourful names: Ryder Gambit (5.Qxf3), Gunderam Attack, Huebsch Defence, and the tongue-in-cheek BDG ‘Vampire’ variation where Black’s extra pawn “sucks the life” out of White’s initiative.
Vienna – Tejler Attack
Definition
The Tejler Attack is an energetic branch of the Vienna Game that arises after the moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Qf3
Instead of the more sedate 5. Nf3 (Hamppe Variation), White plays 5. Qf3, immediately piling pressure on the e4-knight and the f7-square. This line is named after the Swedish player Åke Tejler, who analysed and popularised the idea in Scandinavian journals during the 1950s.
Main Ideas
- Tactical momentum: White threatens 6. Nxe4 dxe4 7. Qxe4, regaining material with an improved pawn structure.
- Early queen activity: Qf3 eyes both f7 and b7, discouraging Black from casual development of the queen’s bishop.
- Piece co-ordination: Knights often land on f3 and d4, bishops on c4 and d3, leading to direct attacks on the Black king if he castles short.
Theoretical Status
The Tejler Attack is double-edged: engines give Black approximate equality with best play (…Nc6, …Be6, or the resourceful 5…Ng5!). At practical levels, however, unfamiliar opponents can stumble in the resulting sharp positions.
Sample Continuation
White has recouped the pawn and retained nagging pressure on the queenside.
Historical & Notable Games
- Tejler – Johansson, Stockholm 1956: The debut of the line, ending in a spectacular rook sacrifice on f7.
- Tal (simul) – Anonymous amateur, Riga 1963: Tal’s queen sortie on move 5 bewildered the opponent and produced a 20-move miniature — proof the attack can work even against a future World Champion in casual play.
Interesting Tidbits
- Because many databases historically spelled the name “Teichler” or “Tejler,” some opening books list the variation under two different headings.
- The early queen move violates classical principles, yet it echoes the spirit of the Parham Attack (1. e4 e5 2. Qh5) — a coincidence that delights gambit enthusiasts.
- In bullet chess the humorous motto is “Play Tejler, win with a smile, and let the engine frown later.”