Albin Counter Gambit

I haven't really had much success playing against the queens gambit accepted OR the Queens Gambit Declined. I was just wondering what y'all thought of the Albin Counter Gambit

Originally posted by stockton1984
I haven't really had much success playing against the queens gambit accepted OR the Queens Gambit Declined. I was just wondering what y'all thought of the Albin Counter Gambit

I've played QG for alot of years now and came across the Albin Counter Gambit for the first time at Doncaster congress playing a gent call Bill. It was the wildest ride I've ever had in chess because not only has the Albin got its traps in the opening and tricks in the middle, Bill was a sack merchant so every trap and trick came out but with good moves and keeping calm under pressure I won through easily in the end. I'll post the game on this thread when I get chance to dig it out.

Renegade 🙄

I like it. I too was struggling with QG, until ceders introduced me to the albin.

This is just one example of how things can go against an unprepared opponent, so if you like open games...

Game 4365245

Originally posted by Mad Mac MacMad
I like it. I too was struggling with QG, until ceders introduced me to the albin.

This is just one example of how things can go against an unprepared opponent, so if you like open games...

Game 4365245

Game 3697311 and some other typical ideas for Albin countergambit...I had to struggle a lot in this game that was unfortunately decided by a slip in a difficult position

As has been pointed out in previous threads, the Albin (along with the Schliemann) forms the main part of black's repertoire in Nigel Davies' Gambiteer book. As far as I'm aware, Davies has never played the opening in a serious game, but that's another issue.

The Albin Counter Gambit is not without attraction, and I've tried it once or twice myself in the past, though not recently. One of the things that has put me off it is that quite a few white players play 2.Nf3 to avoid it. However, Davies then recommends 2...Nc6 3.c4 e5!? 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.dxe5 d4 in similar style. Interestingly, Simon Williams tried this as black against Mark Hebden at Hastings a week or so ago. The game continued 6.g3 Ne7 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.0-0 Nxe5 9.e3!? Now Williams played 9...d3?! and Hebden was clearly better after 10.f4! and won quickly, since the pawn on d3 turned out to be weak. Critical must be 9...dxe3 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8. White clearly gets a reasonable initiative for the pawn, but I'm not sure it's worth more than equality. Could be worth trying for black.

Originally posted by stockton1984
I haven't really had much success playing against the queens gambit accepted OR the Queens Gambit Declined. I was just wondering what y'all thought of the Albin Counter Gambit

If your well prepared it is a very good opening OTB.

Here is one of mine

Game 4403092

Before any of you comment I know I missed loads of wins much earlier!!

Originally posted by Northern Lad

However, Davies then recommends 2...Nc6 3.c4 e5!? 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.dxe5 d4 in similar style

I've reached this knightless Albin position twice now but decided for a different try - 6. ...Be6?! Both times I got 7.b3 Game 4317784 & Game 3865195 with attacking chances and good results against much stronger apponents.

However, Chesslive.de database suggests 7.Bg2 which won on all the games apart from 2 draws. Is Be6 really that bad? If anything wouldn't 7.Qb3 be stronger?

From the white perspective I'd also like to suggest playing the move 3.a3 which does a nice job of avoiding a lot of black's more annoying traps.

Originally posted by ceders
Originally posted by Northern Lad

[b]However, Davies then recommends 2...Nc6 3.c4 e5!? 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.dxe5 d4 in similar style

I've reached this knightless Albin position twice now but decided for a different try - 6. ...Be6?! Both times I got 7.b3 Game 4317784 & Game 3865195 with attacking chances and good results against much st ...[text shortened]... the games apart from 2 draws. Is Be6 really that bad? If anything wouldn't 7.Qb3 be stronger?[/b]

Originally posted by cmsMaster
From the white perspective I'd also like to suggest playing the move 3.a3 which does a nice job of avoiding a lot of black's more annoying traps.

Originally posted by scandium
At the expense of a possibly wasted tempo.