Albin Countergambit vs Budapest Gambit - Chess Forums

koenvv

Nov 4, 2023

0

#1

Tldr; Which gambit would you recommend for an intermidiate: Albin or Budapest?

About half a year ago I bought GothamChess' "Gambits for Black" course, which covers both the Albin Countergambit and the Budapest as a possible response to d4 openings. I started out playing the Budapest but a lot of people played Nf3 on move 2 and the course recommends c5 (Spielmann Indian) and I didn't like those middlegames (I've since gone from ~1200 to ~1700 chesscom rapid, so this may not be applicable anymore). I've then switched to the Albin but I struggle to achieve anything worthwhile and usually my opponents easily convert their advantage, especially in the mainlines. Also I don't like the transposition to a French after 3. e3, although I rarely face this.

I'm now wondering if I should stick to the Ablin and just get better at it or if I should give the Budapest another serious shot.

Thanks in advance.

Ethan_Brollier

Nov 4, 2023

0

#2

Neither. The Albin is dubious at very best, and while the Budapest is technically playable, there’s MUCH better out there.
You mentioned that you got a Gotham course which recommends the two, and while that was probably a fantastic repertoire at 1200, you’ll find it much more difficult at 1700, as his content tends to be aimed towards 500-1300 rated players.
My recommendations would be for you to play either the Tarrasch, Grunfeld, or Stonewall Dutch if you want to continue playing sharp, aggressive, and open positions against d4 that are actually solid, or perhaps the Blumenfeld if you want something a bit more aggressive but also more dubious. I would actually recommend that you try just about everything: NID + BID/QID/Benoni, KID, Grunfeld, Semi-Slav, Slav, Classical QGD, Tarrasch, and e6 Dutch, just to see what works.

gik-tally

Nov 4, 2023

0

#3

even though I'm going to study albin, as a sideline to my beloved hartlaub charlick, it's not the best performing counter gambit, and if I recall, a3 is the main line. If i remember budapest has great stats, but involves fianchettos. i don't like those

Ethan_Brollier

Nov 4, 2023

0

#4

gik-tally wrote:

even though I'm going to study albin, as a sideline to my beloved hartlaub charlick, it's not the best performing counter gambit, and if I recall, a3 is the main line. If i remember budapest has great stats, but involves fianchettos. i don't like those

Is 5. a3 really the mainline? Huh. I never went and checked what it was because I never had problems against the Albin with 5. a3, now I know why, it's because I was already playing the mainline.

MervynS

Nov 4, 2023

0

#5

White can prevent black from playing the Budapest with 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3. White can also play 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 to get around the Albin. White can't stop 1. d4 e5, the Englund gambit which most won't recommend.

Follow Ethan_Brollier's suggestions about what to play. If however you want to have a narrow amount of openings to look at for now, the Queen's Gambit Accepted or Chigoin's Defense is what to look at.

newbie4711

Nov 4, 2023

0

#6

If you want to stick with the Budapest Gambit, then maybe 2. Nf3 g6 would be for you. You have to learn a second opening, but you bypass Saemisch, Averbakh, 4-pawn attack, etc.

IM Commando_Droid

Nov 4, 2023

0

#7

Ethan_Brollier wrote:

Neither. The Albin is dubious at very best, and while the Budapest is technically playable, there’s MUCH better out there.
You mentioned that you got a Gotham course which recommends the two, and while that was probably a fantastic repertoire at 1200, you’ll find it much more difficult at 1700, as his content tends to be aimed towards 500-1300 rated players.
My recommendations would be for you to play either the Tarrasch, Grunfeld, or Stonewall Dutch if you want to continue playing sharp, aggressive, and open positions against d4 that are actually solid, or perhaps the Blumenfeld if you want something a bit more aggressive but also more dubious. I would actually recommend that you try just about everything: NID + BID/QID/Benoni, KID, Grunfeld, Semi-Slav, Slav, Classical QGD, Tarrasch, and e6 Dutch, just to see what works.

Openings don't matter below the 2000 level. You play what you want to play. If you criticize this guy's openings, play me in a blitz game, and let me demonstrate how powerful they are.

tygxc

Nov 5, 2023

0

#8

@7
In blitz anything is playable. Below 2000 indeed very much is playable. Carlsen plays very weird stuff against lesser grandmasters. However, objectively both the Albin and the Budapest are unsound. The 'play me' argument does not demonstrate power. The late IM Basman used to open 1 g4? as white, 1 e4 g5? and 1 d4 h6 2 e4 g5? as black in classical time controls even against grandmasters. He did well with it in practice, but that does not make these good or powerful.