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Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...d5/2. c4/2...e5

< Chess Opening Theory | 1. d4 | 1...d5 | 2. c4
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Albin Countergambit
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black kinge7 black kingf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black pawne5 black pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 white pawnd4 white pawne4 black kingf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 black kingd2 black kinge2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/8/3pp3/2PP4/8/PP2PPPP/RNBQKBNR w

Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5
Delayed Albin Countergambit
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black kingh8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black kinge7 black kingf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black knightg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black pawne5 black pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 white pawnd4 white pawne4 black kingf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 white knightd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 black kingd2 black kinge2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 black kingc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 black kingh1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/5n2/3pp3/2PP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R1BQKB1R w

Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5

Albin Countergambit

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2...e5

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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 (see diagram below). After 4...Bb4+ 5.Bd2 dxe3!! 6.Bxb4?? is a blunder — 6...exf2+! 7.Ke2 fxg1=N+!! and Black's position is superior. 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.

Lasker Trap
a b c d e f g h
8        8
7        7
6        6
5        5
4        4
3        3
2        2
1        1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnbqk1nr/ppp2ppp/8/4P3/1BP5/8/PP2K1PP/RN1Q1BnR w

Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. e3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 dxe3 6. Bxb4 exf2+ 7. Ke2 fxg1=N+

Theory table

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For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5

3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Main line dxe5
d4		 Nf3
Nc6		 g3
Bg4		 Bg2
Qd7		 O-O
O-O-O		 +=
...
...		 ...
...		 ...
Nge7		 Bg2
Ng6		 O-O
Ngxe5		 Nxe5
Nxe5		 b3
Bc5		 +=
Lasker Trap ...
...		 e3?!
Bb4+		 Bd2
dxe3!!		 Bxb4??
exf2+!		 Ke2
fxg1(N)+!!		 -+
...
dxc4		 Qa4+
Nc6		 Nf3 +=
cxd5
Qxd5		 Nc3
Qxd4		 Qxd4
exd4		 =
cxd5
Qxd5		 Nc3
Qxd4		 Qxd4
exd4		 Nb5
Na6		 Nxd4
Bb4+		 Bd2
Bxd2		 Kxd2
c5		 Nb5
Nf6		 =
cxd5
Qxd5		 Nc3
Qxd4		 Qxd4
exd4		 Nb5
Na6		 Nxd4
Bb4+		 Bd2
Bxd2		 Kxd2
c5		 Nb3?
Nf6		 e3
b6		 =+
e3?!
exd4		 exd4
Nf6		 =+

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References

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Wikipedia has related information at Albin Countergambit

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