Chess Openings Lab
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Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Weinsbach Defense

The Weinsbach Defense is 4...e6, a French style move that declines the f3 pawn and shuts in Black's c8 bishop. White should take on e4 at once and build a broad center, while Black looks for ...c5 and ...Bb4 to challenge it.

Moves
1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 e6
ECO
D00
Engine
+0.52 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
473 games in our lichess sample
White scores
54.2%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • 5.fxe4 is clearly best: White regains the pawn and owns the center with pawns on d4 and e4.
  • Answer 5...c5 with 6.d5, and after the trades on d5, 8.Qe2+ makes Black's king move to f8.
  • e5 later kicks the f6 knight and gains more space, with Bd3 and Nf3 to follow.
  • Avoid 5.Bg5 and 5.a3; both let Black keep the pawn or develop freely.

Black

  • After 5.fxe4, strike at once with 5...c5 so White's center cannot settle.
  • ...Bb4 pins the c3 knight to the king and adds pressure on the e4 pawn.
  • If White plays slowly, ...exf3 and ...Be7 with short castling give a comfortable extra pawn.

Plans and pawn structure

After 5.fxe4, the structure is White's e4 and d4 against Black's e6 pawn, a French without Black's d-pawn. White wants e5, Bd3, Nf3 and short castling, with attacking chances on the kingside. Black must hit the center fast with ...c5 or ...Bb4 and ...Nxe4 tricks. If White pushes d5 too early, the e-file opens and Black's king can get caught in the center, as the Qe2+ check shows.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.52: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.52 5.fxe4 c5 6.d5 exd5 7.exd5 Bd6
  2. −0.53 5.Bg5 exf3 6.Nxf3 Be7 7.Bc4 Nbd7
  3. −0.83 5.a3 Nc6 6.Bb5 a6 7.Bxc6+ bxc6

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

473 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 54.2%.

under 120034.8%
1200–159955.7%
1600–199959.6%
2000 and up51.2%

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

Where it goes next

  • Weinsbach Defense, Pfrang Gambit5.fxe4 · rare

How to play against it

Take on e4 immediately with 5.fxe4. You are no longer a pawn down and your center is better than Black's. After 5...c5, push d5 and use the e-file checks. Do not play the slower 5.Bg5 or 5.a3, which let Black take on f3 and keep the pawn.

Questions

What are the moves of the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Weinsbach Defense?

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Weinsbach Defense starts 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 e6. Its ECO code is D00.

Is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Weinsbach Defense good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.52 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 473 lichess games from our sample, White scored 54.2%. One of the few Blackmar-Diemer lines where White comes out on top quickly; Black needs a sharp ...c5 plan to stay level.

What is the main idea of the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Weinsbach Defense?

Black declines the second pawn with a French style ...e6. That lets White play fxe4 and get a full center back with no material deficit, so White is the side pressing.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is fxe4, with Bg5 and a3 close behind. 5.fxe4 regains the pawn and builds a d4 and e4 center that the e6 setup cannot challenge easily.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.