Chess Openings Lab
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Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Lemberger Countergambit

The Lemberger Countergambit is 3.Nc3 e5, where Black strikes at d4 instead of defending the e4 pawn. White chooses between trading into an endgame, developing with Nge2 or Be3, or taking on e4, and Black hopes to open the center while White's development lags.

Moves
1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 e5
ECO
D00
Engine
−0.16 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
465 games in our lichess sample
White scores
49.1%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • 4.Nge2 is the engine's first choice: it covers d4 and prepares Be3, keeping both e4 and e5 under watch.
  • Taking on e5 at once offers the queen trade and leads to a simple endgame where e4 is weak.
  • 4.Nxe4 wins back a pawn, but ...Qxd4 hits back and White must develop with Bd3 and Nf3.
  • 4.Be3 meets ...exd4 with Qxd4, trades queens and castles long, as the second engine line shows.

Black

  • After 4.Nge2, ...Nc6 and ...f5 keep the e4 pawn supported, then trade on e5 for active pieces.
  • ...exd4 opens the e-file and lets the queen join with tempo once the d4 pawn falls.
  • Against 4.Nxe4, take with 4...Qxd4 and centralize with ...Qd5 and ...Be6 before White castles.

Plans and pawn structure

Both sides have pawns hanging, so the opening is sharp and short. In the Nge2 lines, White recovers material later with Be3 and dxe5, often reaching an endgame after the queen trade on d8. Black supports e4 with ...f5 and ...Nc6 and wants the king safe on d8 or c7 in that endgame. If White takes on e4 early, Black regains d4 and develops with quick ...Nc6 and ...Be6.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.16: level. Its three top choices for White:

  1. −0.16 4.Nge2 Nc6 5.Be3 f5 6.dxe5 Nxe5
  2. −0.38 4.Be3 exd4 5.Qxd4 Qxd4 6.Bxd4 Nc6
  3. −0.40 4.Nxe4 Qxd4 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Qd5

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

465 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 49.1%.

under 120055.7%
1200–159954.1%
1600–199943.0%
2000 and up47.5%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Where it goes next

  • Lemberger Countergambit, Endgame Variation4.dxe5 · rare
  • Lemberger Countergambit, Lange Gambit4.Nxe4 · rare
  • Lemberger Countergambit, Rasmussen Attack4.Nge2 · rare
  • Lemberger Countergambit, Sneiders Attack4.Qh5 · rare
  • Lemberger Countergambit, Soller Attack4.Be3 · rare

How to play against it

Do not panic about d4. 4.Nge2 keeps the tension with good development, and dxe5 leads to a safe endgame. Avoid Qh5 style adventures that ignore development. The rating bands show White doing worse above 1600, so simple play is the practical choice.

Questions

What are the moves of the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Lemberger Countergambit?

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Lemberger Countergambit starts 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 e5. Its ECO code is D00.

Is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Lemberger Countergambit good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.16 at depth 20, which is level. In 465 lichess games from our sample, White scored 49.1%. A practical weapon for Black against players who expect only quiet defenses; White needs to know at least one clean answer such as 4.Nge2.

What is the main idea of the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Lemberger Countergambit?

Black answers 3.Nc3 by counterattacking d4 with ...e5 rather than defending e4. White has several ways to keep the balance, and the most common outcome is an early queen trade with an open center.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is Nge2, with Be3 and Nxe4 close behind. 4.Nge2 develops while covering d4, so Black's ...e5 counterattack loses its punch.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.