Any Albin counter-gambit fans here?
I've played this quite a bit, much prefer this approach vs. d4 rather than any Kings Indian or Benoni stuff for example.
Don't often share my losses here, but the below game was one that was bubbling quite nicely
but then it was like I accidentally knocked something over and it fell into the broth 🙁
I'm pretty lousy at cooking anyway, so maybe next time I should just focus on the chess.
I play Black (obviously, ya twerp)
[Event "Challenge"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2016.07.14"] [EndDate "2016.08.09"] [Round "?"] [White "Shaun12"] [Black "64squaresofpain"] [WhiteRating "1853"] [BlackRating "1891"] [WhiteElo "1853"] [BlackElo "1891"] [Result "1-0"] [GameId "11796355"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 {The Albin counter-gambit has been my favourite choice vs. the Queens gambit lately... there is often action all over the board} 3. dxe5 d4 {The idea, Black's strategy revolves around this pawn, but the tactics that can come from this are plentiful} 4. f4 Bf8c5 5. a3 a5 {Preparing a home for the Bishop if needed, also discouraging the b4 push} 6. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 7. b3 Bc8f5 8. Bc1b2 h6 9. Ke1f2 {Perhaps tempting d3... "go on, you know you want to" but the pawn is stronger on d4} 9... Bf5g4 {? This wasn't necessary, Ne7 completes development} 10. Qd1d3 Ng8e7 11. Nb1d2 Qd8d7 12. Nd2e4 Bc5a7 {Welcome home} 13. Ra1d1 O-O-O {4 pieces attacking and 4 pieces defending the d4 pawn, all the while developing naturally} 14. h3 Bg4xf3 15. exf3 Ne7f5 16. g4 Nf5e3 17. Rd1e1 Qd7e7 18. h4 {Stops the check, however Black had a trick...} 18... Ne3c2 {There is no Qxc2 due to a discovered check with d3 hitting the Queen, meanwhile the Rook is also hit, so} 19. Re1e2 Nc2xa3 20. Kf2g3 {Gets out of danger} 20... Rh8e8 {I intended Nb4 straight away but realised White had Bxa3, pinning the Knight to an undefended Queen... Re8 solves that problem} 21. Ne4d6 {!} 21... cxd6 22. Bb2xa3 Ba7c5 {?? Although it seemed natural to consolidate my dark squares, this move just drops a piece (see following combination)... instead Nb4 was the move, and the game is still equal} 23. exd6 Qe7xd6 24. Qd3f5 Kc8b8 25. Ba3xc5 {1-0} 1-0
The Bishop should have stayed home!