Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
Chess opening · ECO D00 · 3 half-moves
1. d4 d5 2. e4
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit is reached after 1. d4 d5 2. e4. It is Black's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Queen's Pawn Game with 1… d5 2. e4.
How often it is played
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit and its variations appeared in 0.48% of games — 14,323 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 93 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 52%, 3.1% were drawn and Black won 45%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.
What the engine thinks
Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at -0.65 — a clear edge for Black. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.
Similar openings
The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.
| Opening | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 | 5.1% |
| Queen's Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 | 4.5% |
| Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 | 2.3% |
Main continuations
| Variation | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted | 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 exf3 | 0.12% |
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Blackmar Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. f3 | 0.06% |
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: von Popiel Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 | 0.03% |
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Bf5 | 0.03% |
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Netherlands Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 f5 | 0.02% |
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 Bf5 | 0.02% |
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Weinsbach Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 e6 | 0.01% |
| Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Lemberger Countergambit | 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 e5 | 0.01% |
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