The "X-Rated" Albin Counter-Gambit Part 1

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THE X-RATED ALBIN COUNTER-GAMBIT

By Andrew Martin

Part 1 | Part 2 Gigerl - Cirabisi Italy, 1989Some chess openings are completely inoffensive. I mean, you wouldnt break into a cold sweat if your opponent played the Exchange Slav, the Caro-Kann or perhaps the highly analyzed 2.c3 Sicilian. Hardly sends a shiver down the spine, does it? Some openings need parental consent before Johnny the obnoxious junior is allowed to touch them. Consider the Sicilan Dragon, the Benko Gambit or the Ruy Lopez. Still others require a maniac to lend a hand. Ask mad, bad and dangerous Mike Basman about that, with his Grobs and his Orangutans and maybe even his Durkin!

MIKE, IS THIS DURKIN YOURS?

But if youre like me and you desire a different class of opening altogether, then you have come to the right place. Its time for some really ADULT entertainment: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5!?

THE X-RATED ALBIN

If ever an opening deserved an X certificate the Albin Counter-Gambit surely fits the bill. This reprehensible pawn sacrifice is frowned upon in every single theoretical manual available and yet Black continues to win a lot of games! Some very attractive effects are possible.

3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3

Undoubtedly the main line but Black has plenty of resources with the clock ticking and the element of surprise on his side.

5...f6!? 6.exf6 Nxf6 7.Bg2 Bf5

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The "X-Rated" Albin Counter-Gambit Part 1

DOES THE FATE OF THE ALBIN DEPEND ON Bf5

I believe that the revitalization of the Albin depends on ...Bc8-f5. The Bishop gazes into the heart of Whites position and the idea of ...Nb4 cannot be ignored, however crude it may seem.

8.00 Qd7 9.a3 Bh3

Cirabisi (playing Black) deserves the Chess Psycho title, as you will see. Wang up the h-pawn, strip out the Bishop and mate the bastard seems to be his motto. Not exactly a difficult method to master.

10.Nbd2 h5 11.Re1

11.b4 h4 12.b5 Ne7 13.Ne5 Qc8 14.Bxh3 Qxh3 15.Ndf3 hxg3 16.fxg3 Nf5 might have been better, but it is evident that Black has a very dangerous attack.

11...Bxg2 12.Kxg2 h4 White appears petrified by this lightning assault. He tries to get some central counterplay but it is already too late!

13.e3 d3!

FORWARD, EVER FORWARD!

The d-pawn is a bone in Whites throat a theme underpinning the whole opening.

14.Nxh4 g5 15.Nhf3 Qh3+ 16.Kg1 g4 17.Nh4 Ne5!

The threat of mate looms, the process beginning with ...Rxh4.

18.f4 Rxh4!

Doesnt matter.

19.gxh4 Nf3+ 20.Nxf3 gxf3 21.Qd2 Ne4!, 0-1.

A BRUTAL FINISH

For me a beautiful final position. Love it!

LETS PLAY Bf5 EVEN FASTER!

J Bellon Lopez - Cirabisi Genua, 1989Either Cirabisi was on fire in 1989 or hed been taking the right kind of drugs. Here he is in action again, this time demolishing a Grandmaster.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3 Bf5!

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The "X-Rated" Albin Counter-Gambit Part 1

A MORE RAPID FORM OF Bf5

I think Id prefer this to 5...f6, although you have seen that move can be lethal.

6.Bg2 Qd7

Its not clear to me whats going on after 6...Nb4 7.Na3 d3 8.00 dxe2 9.Qxe2 Bd3. White will get compensation, but its clear that this immediate Black strike has to be seriously considered.

7.00 Bh3 8.a3

8.Bxh3 Qxh3 9.Ng5 Qf5 10.f4 is assessed by Nunns Chess Openings as clearly better for White. Ward obviously doesnt agree, considering 10...Be7 11.Nf3 000 12.Qd3 Qh3 13.a3 h5 14.Nbd2 h4 (14...Nh6 15.Ne4 h4 16.Nf2 Qd7 17.Bd2 hxg3 18.hxg3, unclear) 15.Nxh4 Bxh4 16.gxh4 Qxh4 17.Qf5+ Kb8 18.Nf3 Qh6 as unclear.

AN INTERESTING MESS

I would be surprised, nay shocked, to find one chess player in a thousand who knows this theory.

8...h5

SOUND THE BUGLE HORN!

9.b4 Bxg2

9...h4 must come into consideration.

10.Kxg2 000

10...h4 Ditto.

11.b5 Nce7 12.h4

Bellon tries to put a stop to all this nonsense but the light squares are weakened considerably. Over the board, Black has all the fun. Nevertheless, 12.Qa4 Kb8 13.Rd1! makes a very strong case for an earlier ...h5-h4!

12...Ng6 13.Qd3 Nh6 14.e3 Qg4!

Black is closing in. The simple threat is ...Nf5.

15.exd4

15.e4 Be7 is easy enough for Black, who has a big lead in development and a big initiative to boot.

15...Nf5 16.Bg5

Development at last, but a useless move.

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The "X-Rated" Albin Counter-Gambit Part 1

16...Be7 17.Qd2

17.Bxe7 Nf4+.

17...Bxg5 18.Nxg5 Rxd4

FEEL WHITES PAIN!

White players must beware!

19.Qc1 Ngxh4+ 20.Kh1 Nf3, 0-1.

What can one say about a rout such as this? Only that to choose the right place, the right time, and the right opponent is the most crucial element in the employment of the Albin.

Part 1 | Part 2

Copyright 2003 Andrew Martin

Created and Maintained by Prometheus Technology Solutions

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The "X-Rated" Albin Counter-Gambit Part 2

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THE X-RATED ALBIN COUNTER-GAMBIT

Part 1 | Part 2

GIVING Bg4 A TRY

G Danner (2405) M Kekelidze (2475)3rd IECC, 2002Boarding our time machine and arriving at the present day we find that the Albin still has supporters on the master scene. Defensive technique has improved immeasurably over the past fifteen years but Blacks attacking ideas still pack a punch.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3

After 5.Nbd2 I like 5...Bf5. Very unclear play results after 6.Nb3 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Be7 8.Bf4 (8.a3 f6!? 9.Bf4 fxe5 10.Nxe5 Bf6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Nc5 Qe7 13.Na6 g5 14.Bd2 Kf7 15.Bb4 Qd7 16.Qd2 Ne7 17.000 c5 18.Nxc5 Qc6, Schlechtmann-Solntzev, Moscow 1964. Red Mist!) 8...Bb4+ (Black has to be satisfied with a draw if White so desires) 9.Nbd2 Nge7 10.a3 Bxd2+ 11.Qxd2 Ng6 12.Rd1 00 13.e3 (13.Bg5 Qd7 14.Nxd4 Ncxe5 15.e3 Rfe8, unclear) 13...dxe3 14.Qxe3 Qe7 15.Be2 Rfe8, unclear.

5...Bg4 6.Bg2 Qd7 7.Nbd2 Bh3

He fiddled with his Bishop, but the end result is still the same.

8.00 h5 9.Qa4 Bxg2 10.Kxg2 h4

No chance for any block this time.

11.b4

Danner calls the bluff where is the mate?

11...hxg3 12.fxg3 Qh3+ 13.Kg1 d3

RIPPING OPEN THE d-FILE

I guess when you play in this style to be concerned about another pawn is ridiculous. Kekelidze unblocks the d-file and frees up the d4-square for a Knight.

14.exd3 000 15.Rf2 Rxd3 16.Nf1

Packing the penalty box.

16...Bxb4 17.Be3 Nh6 18.Rd1 Ra3

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The "X-Rated" Albin Counter-Gambit Part 2

BLACK IS COMING FROM ALL ANGLES!

19.Qc2 Ng4 20.Qf5+ Kb8 21.Ng5?

Just a miscalculation under fire. Veteran Danner tires of defending and wants to hit back. Relatively best was 21.Re2 Qh5 22.Qxh5 Rxh5 23.Nd4 Nxe3 24.Nxc6+ bxc6 25.Rb1 a5 26.Nxe3 Rxe5 27.Rb3 Kc8

THERES NO DOUBT ABOUT BLACKS ADVANTAGE

21...Qh5 22.Nxf7 Nxe3 23.Nxe3 Rxe3 24.Qxh5 Rxh5 25.g4 Rh4

WHITE IS DOOMED

Its only one pawn for the piece and after a bit of tidying up, Kekelidze wins comfortably.

26.Rf4 a5 27.Kg2 Nxe5 28.Nxe5 Rxe5 29.Rd5 Rxh2+! 30.Kxh2 Rxd5 31.Rf7

31.cxd5 Bd6 is also easy for Black.

31...Rd2+ 32.Kh3 g5 33.Rf5 Rxa2 34.Rxg5 Ra3+ 35.Kg2 Rc3 36.Rg8+ Ka7 37.g5 Rxc4 38.g6 Rc6 39.Kf3 a4 40.g7 Rg6 41.Ra8+ Kxa8 42.g8=Q+ Rxg8, 01

.THE ALBIN TRAP

Le Thanh Huyen - Phan Dan HuyenVIETNAM, 2003Finally a fiasco from Vietnam, not the first, nor last.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.e3 Nc6?!

Already missing the excellent 4...Bb4+!, although the analysis is not as conclusive as is commonly believed:

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The "X-Rated" Albin Counter-Gambit Part 2

SPRINGING THE TRAP

5.Bd2 dxe3 6.fxe3 (6.Bxb4 exf2+ 7.Ke2 fxg1=N+ 8.Ke1 Qh4+ 9.Kd2 Nc6 10.Bc3 Bg4, winning, is the famous Albin trap) 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qe4 8.Qf3 Bxd2+ 9.Nxd2 Qxe5 10.000 Nf6 11.Qf4 Qe7 12.Ngf3 00 13.Bd3 Ng4 14.Rdf1 Qxe3 15.Qxe3 Nxe3 16.Re1 Ng4

BLACKS HAPPY, BUT WHITE CAN TWITCH

Black is better, but White can make a fight of this position although a pawn is a pawn is a pawn.

5.exd4 Nxd4 6.Be3 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 c5 8.Nge2 Bg4 9.f3

9.Bxd4! when no further commentary is needed.

9...Qh4+ 10.Bf2 Qg5 11.Nxd4 cxd4 12.Qxd4 Rd8 13.Qxg4 Qd2, mate.

DOH!

One of the worst games I have ever seen, although I enjoy Vietnamese food very much.

This short article amounts to nothing more then naked propaganda. Id just like to see a few more Albin Counter-gambits out there. I think there are practical chances for Black, but that the element of surprise is vital. The opponent cannot have any time to prepare! Once a tournament is about right. Given those limitations, why not have a go yourself?

Bibliography:ALBIN COUNTER GAMBIT, Batsford, By Paul Lamford.ALBIN GEGENSGAMBIT, Schachverlag Kania, By Raetski and Tschetwerik (highly recommended).UNUSUAL QUEENS GAMBIT DECLINED, Everyman, By Chris Ward (to see John Donaldsons review of this book, click HERE).MEGABASE 2003TWIC

Part 1 | Part 2

Copyright 2003 Andrew Martin

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