Play the Albin Counter Gambit as a Surprize Weapon

Employ the Albin Counter Gambit and surpize your opponent. He may not as prepared as you are if you have studied it beforehand and know the setup very well.

I know by experience that this can be an unpleasant surprise for White if he is caught on the left foot and has forgotten how to play it the best way. Well, just use the Fianchetto setup if you have White, placing your bishop to g2 and putting pressure along the diagonal h1-a8. The bishop is supported by active play at the queenside by moves like Qb3. This will increase the coordination of the g2-bishop and your other pieces. See game 4

Adolf Albin played it 1893 against Lasker in New York. The Albin Countergambit is not popular and seldom playedas a defense against the Queen's Gambit but not on grandmaster level as it is not quite sound.

But nonetheless Russian Grandmaster Alexander Morozevich did play it successfully sometimes as it suits his playing style.

It goes like that:

1.d4 d5
2.c4 d5

3.dxe5 d4

Black has sacrificed a pawn and pushes a pawn to d4. This is unpleasant for White as he has a psychological problem and feels somewhat paralyzed unable to play the usual setup, placing a knight to c3. So the white pieces start feeling a bit cramped.

The natural but bad move 4.e3? leads to the Lasker Trap. 4.e3? Bb4+ 5.Bd2 dxe3 6.Bxb4?? exf2+ 7.Ke2 fxg1=N+ winning for Black.