Albin Countergambit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

Albin Countergambit

Image:Chess rdl44.png	Image:Chess ndd44.png	Image:Chess bdl44.png	Image:Chess qdd44.png	Image:Chess kdl44.png	Image:Chess bdd44.png	Image:Chess ndl44.png	Image:Chess rdd44.png
Image:Chess pdd44.png	Image:Chess pdl44.png	Image:Chess pdd44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess pdl44.png	Image:Chess pdd44.png	Image:Chess pdl44.png
Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png
Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess pdl44.png	Image:Chess pdd44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png
Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess pll44.png	Image:Chess pld44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png
Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png
Image:Chess pll44.png	Image:Chess pld44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess pll44.png	Image:Chess pld44.png	Image:Chess pll44.png	Image:Chess pld44.png
Image:Chess rld44.png	Image:Chess nll44.png	Image:Chess bld44.png	Image:Chess qll44.png	Image:Chess kld44.png	Image:Chess bll44.png	Image:Chess nld44.png	Image:Chess rll44.png

Image:Chess zver 26.png

Image:Chess zhor 26.png

Moves

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5

ECO

D08-D09

Origin

Salvioli vs Cavallotti Milan, 1881

Named after

Adolf Albin

Parent

Queen's Gambit Declined

Chessgames.com opening explorer

Image:Chess zhor 26.png

Image:Chess zver 26.png

Image:Chess rdl44.png	Image:Chess ndd44.png	Image:Chess bdl44.png	Image:Chess qdd44.png	Image:Chess kdl44.png	Image:Chess bdd44.png	Image:Chess ndl44.png	Image:Chess rdd44.png
Image:Chess pdd44.png	Image:Chess pdl44.png	Image:Chess pdd44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess pdl44.png	Image:Chess pdd44.png	Image:Chess pdl44.png
Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png
Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess pld44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png
Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess pll44.png	Image:Chess pdd44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png
Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess l44.png
Image:Chess pll44.png	Image:Chess pld44.png	Image:Chess l44.png	Image:Chess d44.png	Image:Chess pll44.png	Image:Chess pld44.png	Image:Chess pll44.png	Image:Chess pld44.png
Image:Chess rld44.png	Image:Chess nll44.png	Image:Chess bld44.png	Image:Chess qll44.png	Image:Chess kld44.png	Image:Chess bll44.png	Image:Chess nld44.png	Image:Chess rll44.png

Image:Chess zver 26.png

Image:Chess zhor 26.png

Main line after 3...d4

The Albin Countergambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves

1.d4 d5

2.c4 e5

Although this opening was originally played by Cavallotti against Salvioli at the Milan tournament of 1881, it takes its name from Adolf Albin who played it against Lasker in New York 1893. The Albin Countergambit is an uncommon defense to the Queen's Gambit. Although it is rarely played by masters, it seems to be better than its reputation.

The usual continuation is

3.dxe5 d4,

where in exchange for the gambit pawn Black has a central wedge at d4 and gets some chances for an attack. Often White will try to return the pawn at an appropriate moment in order to gain a positional advantage.

The Black pawn at d4 is stronger than it may appear. The careless move 4.e3? can lead to the Lasker Trap. After 4...Bb4+ 5.Bd2 dxe3 6.Bxb4?? is a blunder — 6...exf2+ 7.Ke2 fxg1=N+ and Black wins. The Lasker Trap is notable because it is rare to see an underpromotion as early as move 7.

Instead the game usually continues 4.Nf3 Nc6 (4...c5 allows 5.e3 because Black no longer has the bishop check) and now White's primary options are 5.a3, 5.Nbd2, and 5.g3. Perhaps White's surest try for an advantage is to fianchetto his king bishop with 5.g3 followed by Bg2 and Nbd2. Black will often castle queenside. A typical continuation is 5.g3 Be6 6.Nbd2 Qd7 7.Bg2 0-0-0 8.0-0 Bh3.

In the Spassky Variation, White plays 4.e4 to take advantage of the fact that an en passant capture must be made immediately after the enemy pawn moves. Now after 4...Bb4+ 5.Bd2 the en passant capture ...dxe3 is no longer available for Black because of the intervening moves.

The Albin Countergambit is given ECO codes D08 and D09 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings classification scheme.