Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Normal Line
The Normal Line of the Albin Countergambit is 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3, where White keeps the extra pawn and develops toward d4. Black aims to regain e5 with the knights while the d4 pawn cramps White; White wants to blockade and later capture that pawn.
- Moves
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3
- ECO
- D08
- Engine
- +0.67 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 1,233 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 49.5%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- Play Nbd2 and Nb3, as in the engine line, and take on d4 with the knight once Black's pieces drift away.
- Push a3 early so ...Bb4+ and ...Nb4 lose their sting, then consider b4 for queenside space.
- Keep the e5 pawn as long as it costs nothing, but return it if that lets you castle and finish development.
- Meet a pin with ...Bg4 calmly: Nbd2 adds a defender of f3, and h3 asks the bishop to decide.
Black
- 4...Nc6 is the best start: it guards d4 and adds a first attacker to e5.
- Follow with ...Nge7 and ...Ng6; the knight on g6 hits e5 again and can be backed by ...Qe7.
- Develop the c8 bishop to e6 or g4 and consider long castling to put a rook behind the d4 pawn.
- Avoid 4...Bb4+: after Nbd2, a3 and the trade on d2, Black gives up the bishop pair for little.
Plans and pawn structure
Everything revolves around d4. White wants to surround it with Nbd2-b3, maybe Qd3 or e3, and win it, which leaves an extra pawn and a healthy position. Black wants to keep d4 alive and recover e5 with ...Nge7-g6, reaching even material plus a space edge. Long castling for Black is common because the d-file points at White's queen. White's king usually goes short, and the c4 pawn can support a later b4 and b5 push against the c6 knight.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.67: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:
- +0.67 4...Nc6 5.Nbd2 Nge7 6.a3 Ng6 7.Nb3
- +1.29 4...c5 5.e3 Nc6 6.Bd3 Nge7 7.O-O
- +1.36 4...Bb4+ 5.Nbd2 Nc6 6.a3 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
1,233 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 49.5%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- Albin Countergambit, Tartakower Defense4...c5 · rare
- Albin Countergambit, Krenosz Variation4...Nc6 · rare
How to play against it
Play 4...Nc6 and aim the king's knight at g6. Keep the d4 pawn protected and do not rush ...c5, after which e3 starts to undermine d4 at once. If White spends time on Nb3 and a3, use it to develop and win back e5.
Questions
What are the moves of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Normal Line?
The Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Normal Line starts 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3. Its ECO code is D08.
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Normal Line good for White?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.67 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 1,233 lichess games from our sample, White scored 49.5%. White's side suits patient players who enjoy defending an extra pawn, while Black needs exact knight maneuvers and a taste for long castling.
What is the main idea of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Normal Line?
White is a pawn up and tries to blockade and win the d4 pawn with Nbd2-b3. Black fights to regain e5 with ...Nc6 and ...Nge7-g6 while the d4 pawn keeps White cramped.
What should Black play next?
The engine's first choice is Nc6, with c5 and Bb4+ close behind. 4...Nc6 defends d4 and starts the plan of winning e5 back with the other knight via e7 and g6.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.