This time I'd like to show an interesting gambit played by black, after white offers him/her to take a pawn as well: the Albin Countergambit is a variety in QGD (Queens Gambit Declined) and goes like this: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5!
The reason why I show this, is because there are some interesting lines you can play.
Plus / Minus
+ Black has actually got a quite easily trap here, which can give a great positional advantage at least.
+ Black controls immediately the center by two pawns.
+ White has to do another pawn move before he can develop his f1-bishop, black can develop all pieces straight away to their natural fields.
+ It is a gambit. Most gambits are good, because otherwise you just throw away a pawn...
Hm, perhaps the last reason got you thinking, should I reall play this? Well, it isn't all positive:
- You've got to develop all your pieces quite quickly, and try to attack white his kingside as soon as possible, otherwise you ARE just a pawn behind...
- After the accepted variation, black must fight for the center.
- After 2...e5, black still hasn't developed anything.
- The database (and a lot of GMs) gives black not a lot of hope with this opening.
Resulting games
As said before, my (Fritz12) database isn't very positive. It found 512 games, and white won in 47%, a quarter of the games drawed, and only in the other 28% there was a 0-1 at the end of the game. The question mark doesn't bring a lot of hope either.
Lasker trap
But luckily there is something players will always fall for: a trap. It was "created" by Emmanuel Lasker. Below you can see the Lasker trap!
Main variation
But if white chooses not to play 4.e3?, the main variation doesn't look very promising for black:
Morozevich-variant
Luckily, GM Alexander Morozevich got a interesting novelty, which gives black his chances back:
As always, a gambit can be declined, if you want to. Positions are even after:
To play or not to play?
After those lines, which are played most, you may conclude that the Albin Countergambit is quite playable for black, as long as he plays like Morozevich! Because most people won't fall for the Lasker trap anymore...
News about this opening
*If you are interested in getting into the Lasker trap, this blog might be suitable: http://blog.chess.com/tyzebug/lasker-trap * Atm there isn't a thematic tournament at chess.com
D08: Albin Countergambit
This time I'd like to show an interesting gambit played by black, after white offers him/her to take a pawn as well: the Albin Countergambit is a variety in QGD (Queens Gambit Declined) and goes like this:
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5!
The reason why I show this, is because there are some interesting lines you can play.
Plus / Minus
(Source: Game 3 from: http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/games/java/summer05/albin-nge7.htm )
* Atm there isn't a thematic tournament at chess.com
I hope you learned something from it,