Theoria
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Queen's Gambit Declined

Albin Countergambit, Spassky Variation

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  1. 1.d4d5
  2. 2.c4e5
  3. 3.dxe5d4
  4. 4.e4
768 games49%47%

A sideline of the Albin Countergambit in which White plays 4. e4, keeping the extra pawn and denying Black the en passant capture on e3.

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About the Spassky Variation

The Spassky Variation meets the Albin Countergambit with 4. e4. It relies on the rule that an en passant capture is legal only on the move immediately after the pawn advance, so after 4...Bb4+ 5. Bd2 the reply ...dxe3 is no longer possible. White stays a pawn up but has doubled e-pawns. 4...Nc6 is by far the most common answer, ahead of 4...Bb4+ and 4...c5. The engine rates the position as level, and Lichess results are nearly even.

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