The

Openings
Explained
Abby Marshall
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The Blumenfeld Gambit [E10]
My original intention for this month's column was to cover the Benko
Gambit, because it has such a good reputation. But since that gambit seems to
have sufficient coverage already, I turned instead to what looks like a similar
setup: the Blumenfeld Gambit. This is the third gambit I have covered in a
row; perhaps the summer is placing me squarely in gambit mode.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3
3.Nc3 This can lead to the Nimzo-Indian after 3...Bb4.
3...c5
3...Bb4+ is the Bogo-Indian.
4.d5
4.g3 transposes to a set-up similar to the Rti opening.
4...b5

[FEN "rnbqkb1r/p2p1ppp/4pn2/1ppP4/2P5/
5N2/PP2PPPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5"]
The Blumenfeld Gambit. The choices here pretty much run the gamut, as they
often do. Black sacrifices a pawn to gain control of the center and secure open
files.
4...exd5 5.cxd5 is a Benoni.
5.dxe6
This is the way to accept the gambit; otherwise the d-pawn would be hanging.
A) 5.Bg5 This is the major alternative to accepting the pawn sacrifice. 5...h6
(5...Qa5+ is the main line, but it is not as sharp as the pawn push.) 6.Bxf6 (6.
Bh4 White placed the bishop here to limit Black's influence on the center, not
to retreat. 6...g5 7.Bg3 bxc4) 6...Qxf6 7.Nc3 b4 8.Nb5 Kd8 This works
because White has little development and no good way to attack the black
king. 9.e4 exd5 Black has not lost with this move in the database. (9...g5 is the
most common move.) 10.e5 (10.cxd5 White shouldn't block the d-file from
the queen 10...Qxb2.) 10...Qb6 11.Qxd5 Bb7 12.Qxf7 a6 13.Nd6 Bxd6 14.
exd6 Re8+ 15.Be2 Qxd6
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Squeezing the Gambits
by Kiril Georgiev

The Gambit Files
by Bill Harvey

The Blumenfeld Gambit
Easily Explained
by Andrew Martin

[FEN "rn1kr3/1b1p1Qp1/p2q3p/2p5/1pP5/
5N2/PP2BPPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 16"]
Black gets the e-file and suddenly Black is doing well. 16.Rd1 Qe6 17.Qxe6
Rxe6 18.Kd2 Nc6 It is instructive how Black wins the ending. 19.Bd3 Kc7 20.
Bf5 Re7 21.Rhe1 Rae8 22.Rxe7 Rxe7 23.Re1 Rxe1 24.Kxe1 Ne7 25.Bg4 d5!
Black's pieces and especially the black king become active and decide the
game. 26.cxd5 Bxd5 27.a3 a5 28.Nd2 Nc6 29.Bf3 Kd6 30.axb4 cxb4 31.Ne4+
Ke5 32.Nd2 Bxf3 33.Nxf3+ Ke4 34.Kd2 a4 35.Kc1 Kd3 36.Nh4 Nd4 37.Ng6
Ke2 38.f4 Kf2 39.g4 Kf3 40.g5 h5 41.Kd2 Ke4 42.Ne5 a3 43.bxa3 bxa3 44.
Kc3 Kxf4 45.Nd3+ Kxg5 46.Ne1 a2 47.Kb2 Kf4 48.Kxa2 Nf3 49.Ng2+ Kg4
50.Ne3+ Kh3 51.Kb2 Kxh2 52.Kc2 g5 53.Kd1 g4 54.Ke2 Kg3 55.Kf1 h4 56.
Nd5 h3 57.Nc3 Nd2+ 58.Kg1 Kf3 59.Kh2 Nf1+ 60.Kh1 g3 01, De Saegher,
C-Van Eijk,Dieren NED 2002.
B) 5.Qc2 This is weak. 5...Na6 6.Nc3 bxc4 7.e4 Nb4 8.Qd1 Ba6 9.Bg5 h6 10.
Bxf6 Qxf6 Black has a small advantage.
C) 5.e4 White replies with a sharp counteroffer. 5...Nxe4 6.dxe6 (6.cxb5 Qa5
+ 7.Bd2 Nxd2 8.Nbxd2 Be7 This looks good enough for Black.) 6...dxe6 7.
Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.cxb5 Nd7 9.Nbd2 Nd6 10.b3 Bb7 11.Bb2 f6 12.a4 e5 13.Nc4
Nf5 Black is solid enough.
D) 5.cxb5 I am not impressed here. Black gets another pawn in the center and
easy play. 5...exd5 6.e3 g6 7.Nc3 Bb7 8.Be2 Bg7 9.00 00 10.Qc2 a6 11.a3
Ne4 12.Rd1 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Qa5 14.bxa6 Bc6 Black has taken over the
initiative and the g7-bishop is very strong.
E) 5.Nc3 This is a natural developing move that ignores the gambit pawn but
not in a constructive way.
E1) 5...a6 6.Bg5 (6.cxb5 axb5) 6...b4 7.Ne4 d6 8.Nxf6+ gxf6 9.Bh4 Be7.
E2) 5...b4 6.Na4 d6 Black has a fine game.
5...fxe6
Black will get central play and the open f-file in return for the pawn.
6.cxb5
White takes the pawn.
With 6.e4 White again can try a counteroffer although I am not scared by it.
6...Nxe4 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.cxb5 a6 9.Qc2 (9.bxa6 Nxa6) 9...Nf6 10.Nc3 axb5=.
6...d5
Black takes over the space White lost by the capture.
7.g3
Viewed as one of the more challenging responses to the Blumenfeld.
A) 7.Nc3 This is the natural choice.

[FEN "rnbqkb1r/p5pp/4pn2/1Ppp4/8/2N2N2/
PP2PPPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
A1) 7...Bb7 This is a choice for those who don't want to go into the
complications. 8.e4 d4 9.e5 (9.Na4 Bxe4 10.Bc4 Bd5 This is equal.) 9...Nfd7
10.Nb1 Qc7 11.Qb3 Be7 12.Nbd2 Nxe5 13.Qxe6 Nbd7 Black has the center
and is very active.
A2) 7...Nbd7 8.e4 d4 9.e5 Ng4 10.Ng5 White enters a complicated line. 10...
Ndxe5 11.f4 Be7 (11...dxc3 This is no good. 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 13.fxe5 Nxe5
14.Bf4) 12.Nce4 (12.fxe5 dxc3 13.Qxg4 cxb2 14.Bxb2 Bxg5) 12...Qd5 13.
fxe5 Nxe5 Black is down a piece for the time being but White's knights are in
jeopardy. 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qh3.
A2a) 15...Nf7 16.Nxf7 Qxe4+ 17.Be2 00 (17...Kxf7? 18.00+ Kg7 19.Bf3)
18.Qf3 Bb7 19.00 d3 20.Qxe4 Bxe4 21.Bf3 Bxf3 22.Nh6+ Kg7 23.gxf3
Rfd8 Maybe Black can hold but I don't like it.
A2b) 15...h6!? 16.Be2 (16.Ng3 c4 17.N5e4 Qxb5) 16...Bb7 17.00 hxg5
Black gives up the exchange now and the activity gained should carry the day.
18.Qxh8+ Kd7 19.Qg7 Qxe4; 7.Nbd2 This is another natural move. 7...Bd6 8.
g3 a6 As in the Benko, Black tries to open more lines and pressure the
queenside. 9.bxa6 00 10.Bg2 Bxa6 11.00 Nc6 12.Re1 Qe8 Black has a fine
game with play on the kingside and the queenside.
B) 7.e3 Bd6 8.Nc3 (8.b3 Qe7 9.Bb2 e5 10.e4 This is the typical reply to ...e5,
breaking up Black's center. White has chosen a funny development scheme so
Black is okay. 10...00 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Qe2 a6 13.exd5 axb5 14.g3? e4 15.
Nh4 Be5 16.Nf5 Qe8 17.Nb1 Nxd5 Black is winning.) 8...00 9.b3 (9.Be2
We will look at this in the first illustrative game.) 9...Nbd7 10.Bb2 Qe8 Black
is doing well.
C) 7.Bg5.
C1) 7...Qa5+ This is a viable choice as well. 8.Nbd2 (8.Qd2 Qxb5 9.e3 Qb6
10.Nc3 Nbd7 gives an equal game.) 8...Ne4 9.e3 c4 White is under a lot of
pressure on the queenside.
C2) 7...Be7 8.e3 00 9.Bd3 a6 10.bxa6 c4 11.Be2 Qb6 12.Qc1 Bb4+ 13.Nc3
Ne4 14.Bf4 (14.00 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Rxf3 16.Bxf3 Nxg5; 14.Bh4 Qa5) 14...
Rxf4! 15.exf4 Qxf2+ 16.Kd1 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Bd7 18.a4 Qxg2 Black is better.
D) 7.Bf4 Another development choice. 7...a6 8.e3 c4 9.bxa6 Qb6 10.Nbd2 (10.
Qc1 Bxa6 11.Be2 Bb4+ 12.Nc3 00 13.00 Nbd7 White is passively placed.)
10...Nc6 11.Qc2 Bxa6 12.a3 Be7 13.Be2 00 Black has more space.
7...a6
Black wants to have pressure on the queenside files and the open a6-f1
diagonal.
8.bxa6
White accepts another pawn. 8.b6 is possible, but Black cannot be badly off.
8...Qxb6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Bg2 00 11.00 Nc6.
8...Bd6
8...Nc6 is also fine. 9.Bg2 Bd6 10.00 00 11.b3 Bxa6 12.Bb2 Qe8 13.Nbd2
Rd8 We have seen this kind of position before; here is an example of how to
play it. 14.Re1 e5 (14...Ng4 This leads to wild complications. 15.h3 Nxf2!?
16.Kxf2 Nd4 17.g4 h5 18.g5 Qf7 19.e3 Nxf3 20.Nxf3 Bh2 21.Bf1 Qc7 22.
Bxa6 Qg3+ 23.Ke2 Qg2+ 24.Kd3 c4+ 25.Kc3 Rxf3 26.Qd4 Rf2 Black is
winning. 27.Qb6 Be5+ 28.Kb4 Rb8 29.Bb7 Bxb2 30.Qxe6+ Kh8 31.Kc5
Bxa1 32.Bxd5 Qxg5 33.Rxa1 c3 34.h4 Qxh4 35.e4 c2 36.Rc1 Qg5 37.Qh3
Qxc1 01, Georgiev,K-Nisipeanu,L, Fuegen 2006.) 15.e4 This is the normal
response but here it allows Black to attack the light squares. 15...Nb4 16.exd5
Nd3 17.Nc4 Bxc4 18.bxc4 Nxb2 19.Qc2 e4 20.Qxb2 Qh5 21.Nh4 Be5 22.
Qc1 Rde8 The dark-squared bishop is too strong to give up, especially since
White does not have one. 23.Rb1 Bd4 24.h3 Nd7 25.Rb2 Qe5 Black is close
to winning.
9.Bg2
A) 9.Nc3 Black can develop as usual. 9...00 10.Bg2 Nc6 11.00 Bxa6 12.
Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Rc1 Be7 Black is probably better at this point.
B) 9.Bh3 White is going to go after Black's light squares. 9...00 10.00 Nc6
11.Nc3 Rxa6 12.e4 d4 13.Nb5 Bb8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6=.
9...00
Black does not deviate from the script.
10.00
White develops the h1rook.
10...Bxa6
Black takes back a pawn.
11.Nc3
A) 11.Ng5 Qe7 12.Bh3 Bc8 13.Nc3 Nc6 14.Nb5 Bb8 15.a4 e5 16.Bxc8 Rxc8
17.e4 Nd4 Black tries to grab an even greater share of the center. 18.Nxd4
cxd4 19.exd5 h6 20.Nf3 Qf7 Black has many open files and the center.
B) 11.b3 We will take a look at this in the second illustrative game.
11...Ra7

[FEN "1n1q1rk1/r5pp/b2bpn2/2pp4/8/
2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 12"]
This is a interesting use of the rook. Black decides not to keep the rook on the
open a-file but uses it for the center.
12.Ng5 Re7 13.f4 Kh8 14.Re1 c4 15.e3 Nc6 16.a3
White wants to stop ..Nb4 but creates a weakness on b3.
16...Na5 17.Ne2 Nb3 18.Rb1 e5
Black has taken over the initiative.
19.fxe5 Bxe5 20.Nf3 Bc8

[FEN "2bq1r1k/4r1pp/5n2/3pb3/2p5/
Pn2PNP1/1P2N1BP/1RBQR1K1 w - - 0 21"]
21.Ned4?
21.Nxe5 Rxe5 22.Nd4 and Black is only a little better.
21...Bxd4 22.exd4 Rxe1+ 23.Qxe1 Bf5+ 24.Bf4 Bxb1 25.Qxb1 Qb6 26.
Be5 Ne4 27.Qe1 Na5 28.Nh4 Nc6 01 As in Jasnikowski-Volokitin, Karpacz
2008.
The gambit is speculative and not as eminent as the Benko, but it may be a
good weapon at the club level and for surprises.
Tarrasch, Siegbert Alekhine, Alexander
Bad Pistyan, 1922
Blumenfeld Gambit [E10]
I included this game since it involves two of the great masters from the early
twentieth century, and it is well-known as one of the first implementations of
the gambit in a major game.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.dxe6 fxe6 6.cxb5 d5 7.e3 Bd6 8.Nc3 0
0 9.Be2

[FEN "rnbq1rk1/p5pp/3bpn2/1Ppp4/8/
2N1PN2/PP2BPPP/R1BQK2R b KQ - 0 9"]
This is where we left off. White has chosen a more modest setup. Black's play
likewise does not have to be overly forcing since compensation comes in the
form of the center and open files, which are factors in the position that do not
disappear quickly, unlike a lead in development.
9...Bb7
Black develops the bishop to a strong diagonal and avoids being blocked by
the e-pawn. The bishop also protects the d-pawn for a possible push to ...e5.
10.b3
White seeks to get the bishop to an open diagonal.
10...Nbd7 11.Bb2 Qe7
Black aims for the e5-square. Notice that the strategy is not about regaining
the pawn.
12.00 Rad8 13.Qc2 e5
White hasn't made any obvious errors besides choosing a less critical setup. I
love Black's space advantage.
14.Rfe1
14.e4 This runs into all of Black's firepower. 14...d4 15.Bc4+ Kh8 16.Nd5
Nxd5 17.Bxd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 e4.
14.Nh4 This allows White a better set-up. 14...g6 Keeps the knight out of f5.
15.f3 d4 16.Nd1 Nd5 17.g3=.
14...e4 15.Nd2 Ne5

[FEN "3r1rk1/pb2q1pp/3b1n2/1Pppn3/4p3/
1PN1P3/PBQNBPPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 16"]
Now Black has to be better. The bishop on b7 is blocked by the center pawns
but it can always relocate from c8 and it helps if Black ever wants to push d4
since it guards the e-pawn. Black also has a great knight on e5.
16.Nd1
White wanted to protect f2. This is so unaesthetic. If 16.h3 Qf7:

[FEN "3r1rk1/pb3qpp/3b1n2/1Pppn3/4p3/
1PN1P2P/PBQNBPP1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 17"]
16...Nfg4!
This opens the diagonal for the queen and the file for the rook. The threat is
taking on h2.
17.Bxg4
On17.h3 I am assuming Black planned an unexpected reply. 17...Nh2! 18.Rc1
(18.Kxh2 Nf3+ 19.Kh1 Nxe1) 18...Qg5 19.Kh1 Rf7 20.Rg1 Rdf8 21.Kxh2
Rxf2 22.Nxf2 Ng4+ 23.Kh1 Nxf2#
17.Nf1 Nf3+ 18.gxf3 exf3 19.Bd3 Qh4 Black has everything hitting h2.
17...Nxg4 18.Nf1 Qg5
After this Black is winning.
19.h3 Nh6 20.Kh1 Nf5 21.Nh2 d4
Black takes more of the center. If White captures on d4, the a8-h1 diagonal
could become open. 21...Nh4 22.Rg1 Qh5 23.Rc1 Bc8 Black could also build
up the attack this way. White has no plan.
22.Bc1 d3 23.Qc4+ Kh8 24.Bb2 Ng3+! 25.Kg1
If 25.fxg3 Qxg3 and Black attacks two pieces while threatening mate:

[FEN "3r1r1k/pb4pp/3b4/1Pp5/2Q1p3/
1P1pP1qP/PB4PN/R2NR2K w - - 0 26"]
25...Bd5 26.Qa4 Ne2+
26...d2 This wins the exchange but Black wants to keep all his pieces for the
attack.
27.Kh1 Rf7
Black takes the time and caution to protect the a-pawn. There is no rush.
28.Qa6 h5
Now the h-knight cannot come to g4 and the pawn may advance to h4,
restricting White further.
29.b6 Ng3+ 30.Kg1 axb6 31.Qxb6 d2 32.Rf1 Nxf1
Black cashes in now that White is too scattered to defend against the attack.
33.Nxf1 Be6 34.Kh1 Bxh3
A nice final tactic.
35.gxh3 Rf3 36.Ng3 h4
Now we see why ...h5 was such a good move.
37.Bf6 Qxf6 38.Nxe4 Rxh3+ 01
39.Kg1 Bh2+ wins the queen on b6. An instructional game from Alekhine,
one of the great masters of attack.
Chuprov, Dmitry (2534) Ovetchkin, Roman (2534)
RUS-ch sf Nizhnij Tagil , 2007
Blumenfeld Gambit [E10]
This is a game in the theoretically important line 7.g3. As in the previous
game, Black gets a nice attack.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.d5 b5 5.dxe6 fxe6 6.cxb5 d5 7.g3 a6 8.bxa6 Nc6
9.Bg2 Bd6 10.00 00 11.b3
Here is where we left off in the theory section. White has chosen not to
contest the center with pawns yet but control it instead with fianchettoed
bishops.
11...Bxa6 12.Bb2 Qe8

[FEN "r3qrk1/6pp/b1nbpn2/2pp4/8/
1P3NP1/PB2PPBP/RN1Q1RK1 w - - 0 13"]
Black begins the trip to the kingside.
13.Nbd2 Rd8
All this looks normal.
14.Re1 e5 15.e4
This is the normal response to e5 since it breaks up Black's center. Here,
Black has a chance to take advantage of the d3-square.
15...Nb4 16.exd5
White relies on tactics in making this move.
16...Nd3 17.Nc4
17.Rb1!? This seems to be a better way of doing things. Now White will not
lose time as in the game. 17...Nxe1 (17...Nxb2 18.Rxb2 White is well-placed.)

[FEN "3rqrk1/6pp/b2b1n2/2pPp3/8/
1P3NP1/PR1N1PBP/3QR1K1 b - - 0 18"]
18.Qxe1 Nxd5 19.Nxe5 White has two pawns and a knight for the rook, and
active pieces, while Black also has open files. This is unclear.
17...Bxc4
If 17...Nxe1 18.Qxe1 Bxc4 19.bxc4 White will have two pawns and a bishop
for the rook, plus the squares in the center. White is better.
18.bxc4 Nxb2 19.Qc2
The knight is trapped. White loses time however.
19...e4 20.Qxb2 Qh5 21.Nh4 Be5
White is disorganized in this position. Winning the exchange is not the point
here since the dark-squared bishop is unopposed and therefore a monster
bishop.
22.Qc1 Rde8 23.Rb1 Bd4
Black is turning the screws on White.
24.h3
This is very slow. 24.Qd1 This doesn't help much. 24...Ng4 25.Bh3 Bxf2+ 26.
Kh1 Bxe1 27.Bxg4 Qg5 28.Be6+ Rxe6 29.dxe6 Rf1+ 30.Kg2 Rf2+ 31.Kg1
Qe3 Black is winning.
24...Nd7
24...Nxd5 This looks attractive although it gives away an attacking piece. 25.
cxd5 Bxf2+ 26.Kh1 Bxg3 27.Rxe4 Rxe4 28.Bxe4 Qxh4 29.Bg2 Bd6 Black is
better.
25.Rb2?
Are we going to take this rook? You should know the answer by now. 25.Re3
White has to block this bishop. 25...Bxe3 Now that the bishop is blocked, we
might as well take the rook. 26.Qxe3 Qe5 unclear.
25...Qe5

[FEN "4rrk1/3n2pp/8/2pPq3/2Pbp2N/
6PP/PR3PB1/2Q1R1K1 w - - 0 26"]
I'm sure White saw that Black had this double attack. Maybe he overestimated
his chances in the ending that follows.
26.Nf3
White goes into this funny ending to stymie the attack.
26...Rxf3 27.Bxf3 Bxb2 28.Qf4 Qxf4 29.gxf4 Nf6
White has two pawns for the piece which is usually better to have in the
endgame than in the middlegame. Still Black is winning and just needs to
exercise caution.
30.Bg4 Ra8 31.Kg2 Kf7 32.Bf5 Bd4 33.Rb1 Ke7 34.Rb6 g6 35.d6+ Kd8 36.
Be6 Nh5 37.f5 Ng7 38.Bd5 Rxa2 39.Bc6 Rxf2+ 40.Kh1 Rb2 41.Bb5 Rxb5
Black eliminates any chance of counterplay, utilizing the common theme of
giving a little back to convert to a winning advantage.
42.cxb5 Nxf5 43.Kg2 c4 44.Rb8+ Kd7 45.b6 Kxd6 01
Lessons Learned
Black gives up a pawn for control of the center and open files on the
queenside and the f-file. This leads to dynamic play which may be
exploited in the middle- or endgame.
Playing for ...e5 is one of Black's ideas, and it is often met with White
playing e4. As we saw in the second illustrative game, this does not
always turn out bad, so long as Black times the reply well.
Because of the half-open f-file, Black can look at the kingside, as well
as the open files on the queenside.
Practitioners
Not many people play this regularly. It typically is a surprise weapon.
Alexander Alekhine. The fourth world champion held the title twice.
He was known for his attacking style and tactics, as well as his
dynamic play, and his game cited here is recognized as one of the first
and best games with the gambit developed by Benjamin Blumenfeld.
Lev Alburt. A good game to look up in your database from this three-
time U.S. champion is Miles-Alburt, Philadelphia 1989.
Andrei Volokitin. I have seen many attacking games from the
Ukrainian GM.
Bibliography/Further Reading
The Blumenfeld Gambit by Przewoznik and Pein. This out-of-print
Pergamon Press book (1991) is still the main source.
Starting Out: Benoni Systems by Raetsky and Chetverik contains
material on the Blumenfeld.
Squeezing the Gambits by Kiril Georgiev covers four gambits,
including the Blumenfeld, from White's perspective.
The Gambit Files by Bill Harvey includes what he calls "the neglected
Blumenfeld."
The New in Chess Yearbook #84 contains a survey by Konstantin
Lamba on the opening.
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