Chess Codex
Tree path 4 levels Queen's Pawn Game › Queen's Gambit › Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit › Normal Line
  1. Chess Codex
  2. Queen's Pawn Game D00
  3. Queen's Gambit D06
  4. Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit D08
  5. Normal Line D08 you are here
D08

Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Normal Line

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Overview

Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Normal Line is a gambit, classified under ECO code D08 within the Closed & Semi-Closed Games family. As with all gambits, one side sacrifices material early — usually a pawn — in exchange for development, open lines, or initiative.

The Closed & Semi-Closed Games group covers closed and semi-closed games — 1.d4 systems characterised by long strategic manoeuvring rather than early tactics.

It begins with 7 plies and takes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 to reach the canonical position.

It is a variation of Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, which itself descends from the root opening Queen's Pawn Game.

It branches into 3 notable variations — Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Fianchetto Variation, Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Modern Line, Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Tartakower Defense.

Together the deeper variations number 9 across the full subtree.

Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.

ECO code
D08
Group
Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
Plies
7
Parent
Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit
Direct variations
3
Total in subtree
9

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

2,078,628 games · White 49.9% / Draw 5.2% / Black 44.9%

MovesGamesW / D / B
Nc61,680,886
c5236,606
Bb4+114,901
Bc525,926
Bg411,902
Be61,879
Bf51,677
f61,563

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:42:00

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Variations (3)

Related variations at the same level

Sister lines that share the same parent Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit:

Show all 9 sub-variations (full subtree)

https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-albin-countergambit-normal-line