The Queen's Gambit Accepted ( QGA ) is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
30-636: The Queen's Gambit Accepted is the third most popular option on Black's second move, after 2...e6 (the Queen's Gambit Declined ) and 2...c6 (the Slav Defense ). The Queen's Gambit is not considered a true gambit , in contrast to the King's Gambit , because the pawn is either regained, or can only be held unprofitably by Black. Black usually allows the pawn to be recaptured and uses the time expended to play against White's centre. As Black's 2...dxc4 surrenders
60-453: A transposition is a sequence of moves that results in a position that may also be reached by another, more common sequence of moves. Transpositions are particularly common in the opening , where a given position may be reached by different sequences of moves. Players sometimes use transpositions deliberately, to avoid variations they dislike, lure opponents into unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory or simply to worry opponents. To transpose
90-534: A concession, usually in the form of gaining a tempo , by capturing on c4 only after White has played Bd3 first. In the Orthodox Line, the fight for the tempo revolves around White's efforts to play all other useful developing moves prior to playing Bd3. Black will often aim for the pawn break ...c5 in this opening, which often leads to one or the other side accepting isolated or hanging pawns in exchange for dynamic compensation. In its broadest sense,
120-714: A draw. There is also the Exchange Variation where the game continues 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4, which has been used by played by the likes of Ding Liren , Anish Giri , Vladimir Kramnik , and Magnus Carlsen . The Ragozin Variation ( ECO code D37–D39) occurs after black plays 4...Bb4 in the Three Knights Variation. The Alekhine Variation of the Ragozin Variation occurs with 5.Qa4 Nc6 6.e3 0-0 7.Qc2. A transposition into
150-470: A few options in response to the Three Knights Variation. The Vienna Variation occurs after Black plays 4...dxc4 in the Three Knights Variation. The main line of the Vienna continues as 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bg5. White's pawns or pieces occupy the central squares in exchange for long-term pawn structure weaknesses. An instance of Vienna Variation played at the highest level was Fine–Euwe, AVRO 1938. The Quiet Variation of
180-491: A harmless reputation due to the early discovery of 3...e5 which strikes back at the centre. A typical continuation is then 4.Bxc4 exd4 5.exd4, leading to an isolated queen's pawn position. However, the open positions which ensue have not proved easy for Black to handle in practice, and many players simply play 3...e6 to transpose back to the main lines. Nonetheless, 3...e5 was Rizzitano's recommendation in his repertoire against 3.e3. An opening trap where Black tries clinging onto
210-593: A keen middlegame battle. If White recaptures with a piece at d4 instead, the centre will be liquidated and a fairly even game will usually ensue. The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings ( ECO ) classifies the Queen's Gambit Accepted under codes D20 to D29. While the Queen's Gambit Accepted was mentioned in literature as early as the 15th century, it was the World Chess Championship 1886 between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort which introduced
240-438: A number of different move orders , such as 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5; 1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5; 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4; 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4; and so on. Playing 2...e6 releases Black's dark-squared bishop , while obstructing Black's light-squared bishop. By declining White's temporary pawn sacrifice , Black erects a solid position; the pawns on d5 and e6 give Black a foothold in the centre . The Queen's Gambit Declined has
270-468: A piece for Black. After 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.Qc2 White has a pawn majority in the centre, Black has a pawn majority on the queenside . This pawn structure gives White the opportunity to either advance his pawns in the centre by means of Nge2, f2–f3, followed by e2–e4, or play for a minority attack by means of the plan Rb1, followed by b2–b4–b5, then bxc6 in order to create a weak pawn at c6. While Black can play ...cxb5, or recapture on c6 with
300-413: A piece, each of these possibilities is even less desirable than the backward pawn in the open file. For Black, exchanging at d5 has released his light-squared bishop and opened the e-file, giving him the use of e4 as a springboard for central and kingside play. While chances are balanced, Black is usually more or less forced to use his superior activity to launch a piece attack on White's king , as
330-449: Is a main alternative), Black's main move is 3...Nf6. Other options are: Lines beginning with the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 are covered by ECO codes D35–D69. These are old lines that can transpose into many other queen pawn openings . White has several ways of dealing with Black's setup: The Cambridge Springs Defense was introduced more than a century ago, and is still played. (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6) 4.Bg5 Nbd7 (setting up
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#1732791885359360-593: Is also a popular line. Placing the bishop on Bg5 allows Black to exchange more freely with moves like Nf6-e4, as seen in the Lasker Defence. The move Bf4 is designed to restrict Black's opportunities in this way, as well as reducing opportunities to gain the bishop pair . Play usually continues with 5...0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5. Peter Leko , usually an e4 player, used this variation as White to beat Vladimir Kramnik in their 2004 World Championship Match . Bibliography Transposition (chess) In chess ,
390-498: Is rarely played. Queen%27s Gambit Declined The Queen's Gambit Declined (or QGD ) is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit : This is known as the Orthodox Line of the Queen's Gambit Declined. When the "Queen's Gambit Declined" is mentioned, it is usually assumed to be referring to the Orthodox Line; see " Other lines " below. The Orthodox Line can be reached by
420-470: Is the Alekhine Variation. White usually continues 4.e3. 4...Nf6 tends to return to the main line. This is an uncommon line that mainly focuses on rapid development of pieces along with domination of the centre. This variation was debuted by Alexander Alekhine against Efim Bogoljubov in 1929 . White can try to establish a strong pawn centre with 3.e4, an old move that became popular again in
450-474: Is to oppose the pawn centre with 3...e5, which is a highly theoretical system. Other replies aimed at challenging the centre are 3...Nc6 with ideas akin to the Chigorin Defense , 3...Nf6, provoking 4.e5, and 3...c5 undermining the centre at d4. The apparently modest 3.e3 prepares immediate recovery of the pawn and has often been employed by strong players, including Anatoly Karpov . The line long had
480-552: Is to play a move that results in a transposition. Transposition tables are an essential part of a computer chess program. Transpositions exist in other abstract strategy games such as shogi , Go , tic-tac-toe and Hex . For instance, the first position can be obtained from the Queen's Gambit : But this position can also be reached from the English Opening : so the English Opening has transposed into
510-508: The Elephant Trap ) 5.e3 c6 6.Nf3 Qa5, now Black intends ...Bb4 and possibly ...Ne4, with pressure along the a5–e1 diagonal. This Black defense is popular among amateurs because there are several traps White can fall into, for example 7.Nd2 (one of the main lines, countering Black's pressure along the diagonal) 7...Bb4 8.Qc2 0-0 and here 9.Bd3 ?? loses since 9...dxc4 ! (threatening ...Qxg5) 10.Bxf6 cxd3! (a zwischenzug ) 11.Qxd3 Nxf6 wins
540-568: The Vienna Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined occurs with 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4. An alternate line commonly played is 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 to avoid transposing into the Vienna. The Semi-Slav Defense occurs after black plays 4...c6 in the Three Knights Variation. A transposition into the Main Variations of the Queen's Gambit Declined occurs after black plays 4...Be7 5.Bg5 in the Three Knights Variation. This variation
570-474: The 1990s. Rizzitano calls it the Central Variation and notes its increase in popularity and strategic and tactical complexity. Raetsky and Chetverik consider the line straightforward and critical, and remark that anyone playing the Queen's Gambit Accepted must be prepared to meet it. Trying to protect the pawn with 3...b5?! is fairly risky and rarely seen. The main reply against the Central Variation
600-506: The QGA begin with this move. White delays measures to regain the pawn for the moment and prevents Black from striking at the centre with ...e5. The recovery of the pawn will usually be done through 4.e3 and 5.Bxc4. Black's most common rejoinder is 3...Nf6, though the variation 3...a6 was introduced by Alexander Alekhine and bears his name. The main line of the Queen's Gambit Accepted continues with: 4...e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6. 0-0 6...a6 This
630-428: The Queen's Gambit Declined is any variation of the Queen's Gambit in which Black does not play ...dxc4. Variations other than the Orthodox Line have their own names and are usually treated separately. Of the 34 games played in the 1927 World Championship between Alexander Alekhine and José Raúl Capablanca , all except the first and third began with the Queen's Gambit Declined. After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 (3.Nf3
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#1732791885359660-598: The Queen's Gambit. The second position shows another example. The position can arise from the French Defence : The identical position can also be reached, with two extra moves played by each side, from the Petrov Defense : This third position shows another example. This position can be reached from the Exchange variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined : The identical position can also be reached from
690-748: The Vienna Variation occurs after 5.e3. The Semi-Tarrasch Variation occurs after black plays 4...c5 in the Three Knights Variation. An important line in this variation is the Endgame Line where the game continues: 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.e4 dxe4 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 where the queens get traded off in a similar fashion to the Endgame in the Berlin Defense , resulting in a drawish position. This line has been played by top grandmasters such as Wesley So , Anish Giri , and Magnus Carlsen aiming for
720-426: The c4-pawn was pointed out by Alessandro Salvio in 1604. If Black defends the pawn with 3...b5? 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5??, the a8–h1 diagonal has been fatally weakened and 6.Qf3 wins a minor piece . Trying to defend the pawn by 3...Be6 may hold on to the pawn, but White has good compensation after 4.Ne2. 3.Nc3 was labelled "misguided" by Raetsky and Chetverik, because the development does not control d4 and e5, and
750-436: The centre, White will try to seize space in the centre and use it to launch an attack on Black's position. Black's game is not devoid of counterchances, however. If the white centre can be held at bay, Black will try to weaken White's centre pawns to gain an advantage in the ensuing endgame by playing ...c5 and ...cxd4 at some stage. If White responds with exd4, the result will be an isolated pawn on d4 – which can also lead to
780-419: The first modern ideas in this opening. Black's play had, until then, centred on holding on to the c4-pawn. Steinitz's plan was to return the pawn, but inflict White with an isolated pawn on d4, then play to exploit the weakness. Even with the modern treatment, the opening suffered from a slightly dubious reputation in the early 20th century, even as Alexander Alekhine introduced further ideas for Black and it
810-432: The knight is vulnerable to a b-pawn advance from Black. 3...e5, 3...Nf6, and 3...a6 are all reasonable replies, and 3...Nc6 leads to a standard line in the Chigorin Defense . 3. Nc3 was recommended by Keene and Jacobs in their opening repertoire for White. The queen check by 3.Qa4+ Nc6 4.Nf3 will quickly regain the pawn with Qxc4, but the early development of the queen allows Black to win time by harassing it, so this line
840-621: The long-term chances in the QGD Exchange structure favour White. The following games are model games for White: The Three Knights Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined is usually reached from the move order 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3, played to avoid the Nimzo-Indian Defense (from the white point of view) and the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined (from the black point of view). Black has
870-403: The reputation of being one of Black's most reliable defenses to 1.d4. In this situation, White will try to exploit the passivity of Black's light-squared bishop, and Black will try to release it, trade it, or prove that, while passive, the bishop has a useful defensive role. An eventual ...dxc4 by Black will surrender the centre to White, and Black will usually not do this unless Black can extract
900-592: Was played at the highest levels, beginning in the 1930s, though becoming less popular after World War II, as the Indian Defenses were heavily played. At the end of the 1990s, a number of players among the world elite included the Queen's Gambit Accepted in their repertoires, and the line is currently considered sound. After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4, the most popular move is 3.Nf3, but there are other moves which have been played by strong grandmasters. The main variations below are in order of popularity. The main lines of
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