I just went against this opening today. Very little theory is out there on YouTube. every move other than nxe4 on move four for black is inaccurate, but white gets a great position out of the gambit no matter how I calculate from there. Especially especially when they follow up with bd5 and fork the two knights. This then has a 55% win rate for white, even though black has made perfect moves up to this point. I think I am going to start using this gambit myself soon
C54 Giuoco Piano Albin Gambit
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I’m an amateur, but this reminds me a little of a Ruy Lopez L’Hernet, which is sound. Lemme go fire up ChessBase and let you know what ChessBase says
Database games actually skew toward 5... d6 here, with equality (50% for white). 5... Nxe4 does apparently gain a slight edge for black, but it scores 55% (as you indicated), possibly because people get surprised by this and don't know what to play. 5... Nxe4 6. d4 exd4 7. cxd4 was played in several games, but instead of 7... Bb4, as you played, 7... d5 is recommended, and was played in 86 games. 8. dxc5 dxc4 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 and this endgame is supposed to be fine for black, black just has an extra pawn.
After 7... d5, white just doesn't have great options to avoid this endgame. On 8. Bb5 or 8. Re1, black can just respond 8... Bb6 and be fine.
So, the key move in this 5... Nxe4 line is 7... d5, chipping away at the center, hitting the Bc4, opening lines for the LSB, and protecting against this Bd5 tactic.
The Opening is known as Italian Game starting with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
3...Bc5 lead to Giuoco Piano
My Opponent played 4.O-O and 5.c3 going for Albin Gambit.
Is it possible to improve my playing strength as black?