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An INSANE Chess Move! - Best of the 70s - Diemer vs. Trommsdorf, 1973
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An INSANE Chess Move! - Best of the 70s - Diemer vs. Trommsdorf, 1973

SamCopeland
| 15

Emil Diemer was a deeply troubled chess player. He was the co-author of the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, a committed madman, forbidden to play chess by his doctors, and disturbingly, the official chess reporter of the third Reich. For a good summary of his troubled life by the great Hans Ree, see the link below. In this game against Trommsdorff, he plays according to his aggressive principles, but at the critical moment, it is Trommsdorff who plays an INSANE move and SHOULD have won the game.

Emil Diemer Biography: http://www.belkaplan.de/chess/bdg/diemer/diemer_biographie_en.html

Top 10 Games of the 1970s

The game opens favorably for Diemer as he sends forward both Garry and Harry and gets a tactic against h7 that nets a pawn and a plus. However, he then overcommits on the kingside, allowing Trommsdorff counterplay that is suddenly ended by the surprising 29.0-0-0!

Diemer should be in the driver's seat at this point, but then he plays 32.Qg4? A clever move that is completely decisive against all moves but one. With 32...b3!!, Trommsdorff should win the game with some of the most spectacular checkmates you will ever see!

Lessons:

  • In modern chess, always push the g- and h-pawns.
  • Don't neglect castling until move 29
  • Know your checkmates! This game is a masterclass of them.
  • Focus until the end. After a chaotic game, both players could have won with slightly more focus in the final moves.

Annotations are below. You MUST see the incredible variations in this game. Each one is worth your time.

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SamCopeland
NM Sam Copeland

I'm the VP of Chess and Community for Chess.com. I earned the National Master title in 2012, and in 2014, I returned to my home state of South Carolina to start Strategery: Chess and Games. In late 2014, I began working for Chess.com and haven't looked back since.

You can find my personal content on Twitch , Twitter , and YouTube where I further indulge my love of chess.