Albino (chess)

In chess, "Albino" generally refers to a specific opening or variation characterized by the early advance of the b-pawn. Typically, this involves Black playing ...b5 or ...b4, often as a gambit, with the intention of disrupting White's pawn structure and creating asymmetrical positions. The exact nature of the "Albino" name origin is debated, but it's thought to relate to the appearance of the b-pawn advance standing out against a potentially more common setup.

The term is most frequently associated with the Albino Countergambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined. In this variation, after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6, Black plays 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. Rc1 O-O 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 b5.

The Albino Countergambit aims to create active play for Black at the cost of a pawn, hoping to generate attacking chances along the b-file or take advantage of White's potentially weakened queenside. The variation is considered somewhat risky, but it can lead to sharp and interesting games.

Other openings might less frequently be called "Albino" but the general characteristic is the early and aggressive use of the b-pawn.