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Queen's Gambit Declined

You play Black. It starts 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6.

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The Queen's Gambit Declined after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6

The Queen's Gambit Declined (2...e6) is one of the most trusted defences in chess: Black holds d5 firmly, develops calmly and castles. The plan is clear, the position is very solid, and world champions have relied on it in their most important games.

The course is built from 62,307 games of the Queen's Gambit Declined by strong players in Chess Castles' database: the lines below are the ones they really play, with the score Black made in each.

The first moves, one by one

  1. 1.d4 It takes a centre square (d4). It opens a line for the bishop on c1. It opens a line for the queen on d1.
  2. 1...d5 It takes a centre square (d5). It opens a line for the bishop on c8. It opens a line for the queen on d8.
  3. 2.c4 It controls the centre (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d1. It challenges the opponent's pawns. It offers a pawn (a gambit) to win time or the centre.
  4. 2...e6 It controls the centre (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d8. It opens a line for the bishop on f8.

Orthodox (Nc3 and Bg5)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5

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Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox (Nc3 and Bg5)

Move by move

  1. 3.Nc3 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5).
  2. 3...Nf6 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5).
  3. 4.Bg5 It develops the bishop into the game.

Plans for Black

  • Against Bg5 play ...Be7, ...O-O and ...h6: ask the bishop a question, then free your game with ...Ne4 or ...dxc4 and ...c5.
  • The c8 bishop is the problem piece: ...b6 and ...Bb7, or ...dxc4 then ...e5, gives it life.

Exchange Variation (cxd5)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5

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Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation (cxd5)

Move by move

  1. 3.Nc3 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5).
  2. 3...Nf6 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5).
  3. 4.cxd5 It captures the pawn on d5. It takes a centre square (d5). It gains space. It challenges the opponent's pawns.

Plans for Black

  • After cxd5 exd5 your c8 bishop is free: develop it to f5 or g4.
  • White often plays the minority attack (b4-b5): answer with ...a6 or meet it with pieces, and look for play on the kingside.

Catalan set-up (g3)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3

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Queen's Gambit Declined: Catalan set-up (g3)

Move by move

  1. 3.Nf3 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5).
  2. 3...Nf6 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5).
  3. 4.g3

Plans for Black

  • Against g3 (the Catalan) the long diagonal is White's weapon: ...dxc4 and holding the pawn for a while is a main plan.
  • Then ...c5 or ...b5 with ...Bb7 challenges the g2 bishop.

5.Bf4

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4

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Queen's Gambit Declined: 5.Bf4

Move by move

  1. 3.Nc3 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5).
  2. 3...Nf6 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5).
  3. 4.Nf3 It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5).
  4. 4...Be7 It develops the bishop into the game. Now castling is possible.
  5. 5.Bf4 It develops the bishop into the game. It controls the centre (e5).

Plans for Black

  • Against Bf4 play ...O-O and ...c5: hitting the centre at once is the most reliable answer.
  • Keep the queen side flexible: ...Nc6 and ...dxc4 follow naturally.

Other replies

  • Against everything else the QGD plan holds: ...Nf6, ...Be7, castle, and ...c5 or ...e5 to free the game.
  • Never forget the c8 bishop: plan its development before the middlegame begins.

How each line scores

LineMovesGamesBlack scores
3.Nc3 · Queen's Knight Variation1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc337,64443%
3.Nf3 · Queen's Gambit Declined1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf323,23640%

The score counts a win as 1 and a draw as ½, from Black's side, in games between strong players.

On the board: the course (plans, model games, puzzles from real games of the opening), and the opening trainer, which drills the moves until you know them (a free account keeps your progress).

More openings: Caro-Kann Defence, Jobava London, Chebanenko Slav, Ruy Lopez, Italian Game, Queen's Gambit, London System, Sicilian Najdorf, French Defence, King's Indian Defence.