Joel Ofeni (1836 ECF/1782 Fide) - Spanton (1936 ECF/1977 Fide)
Albin Countergambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.a3
This and the commoner 4.Nf3 are almost equally liked by Stockfish17 and Dragon1.
4...Nc6 5.Nf3
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| Via a minor transposition the game has reached a tabiya occurring 3,320 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database |
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5...Be6
The main moves in Mega25 are 5...Nge7 and 5...Bg4, while the engines also quite like 5...g6!?, albeit reckoning White in each case has the upper hand.
6.Nbd2
The engines prefer this and 6.b4 over the more popular 6.e3.
6...Qd7 7.b4 0-0-0?!
This is strongly disliked by the engines. They suggest developing the king's knight, to either e7 or h6.
8.Qa4!
This seems to be a novelty, and is slightly preferred by the engines over the known 8.Bb2.
8...Kb8
8...Nxe5?! is probably not an improvement for Black after 9.Qxa7.
9.b5 Nce7 10.Bb2?!
Almost certainly better is 10.Nb3 as it prevents Black's next.
10...c5 11.bxc6 Nxc6 12.Qb5
The engines prefer 12.g3 or 12.Nb3, eg 12.g3 Nxe5?! (the engines suggest 12...f6!?) 13.Qxd7 Nxf3+ 14.Nxf3 and 15.Nxd4.
12...f6!?
Perhaps best is 12...a6 13.Qb6 Nge7, with ...Nc8 to come.
13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Ne5?!
Aggressive, but the engines prefer concentrating on kingside development with 14.g3.
14...Nxe5 15.Qxe5+ Bd6!?
Offering a second pawn, but 15...Ka8 may be even stronger.
16.Qxd4 Qc7
The engines, particularly Stockfish17, prefer 16...Qc6.
17.Qc3 Rhe8 18.h3?!
Probably too slow. Best may be 18.e3, allowing 18...Bxh2, when Black has won back one pawn and has good compensation for the remaining pawn-deficit.
18...Bf5 19.e3
This is Dragon1's top choice. Stockfish17 suggests 19.Qf3.
19...Be5 20.Qb3
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| How should Black proceed? |
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20...Rxd2!
The engines reckon this exchange sacrifice is the strongest continuation.
21.Kxd2 Qa5+?
But this is a weak follow-up. White is lost after 21...Ne4+ since 22.Ke2, as in the game, can be met by 22...Rd8 23.Bxe5 Qxe5, when Black threatens ...Qxa1, ...Rd2+ and ...Nc3+, while 22.Kc1 Nxf2 is hardly an improvement.
22.Ke2 Rd8?
Now Black is losing. The engines reckon ...Ne4 is still correct, this time with equal chances.
23.Bxe5+ Qxe5 24.Rd1 Rxd1 25.Qxd1 Qb2+ 26.Qd2 Qxa3 27.f3 Nh5 28.Kf2
Also good is 28.Qd8+ Bc8 29.Kf2.
28...Qe7 29.Qd4 Qc7 30.Qh4 Nf6
There is nothing better, but now queens come off.
31.g4 Be6 32.Qg3 Nd7 33.Qxc7+ Kxc7 34.Bd3 h6 35.f4 Nb6 36.Rc1
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| The final white piece enters play, meaning White's advantage of the exchange and a pawn is overwhelming |
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36...Kc6 37.Be4+ Kc5 38.Bxb7 Nxc4 39.e4 a5 40.f5 Bd7 41.Ba6 Bb5 42.Bxb5 Kxb5 43.Ke2 a4 44.Kd3 Ne5+ 45.Kd4 Nc6+ 46.Rxc6!? Kxc6 47.e6 a3 48.Kc3 1-0
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