Learn · Openings
The Queen's Gambit: Accepted, Declined and the Slav
How the Queen's Gambit works after 1.d4 d5 2.c4, why it isn't a real gambit, and the main ideas of the Accepted, Declined and Slav defences.
The Queen's Gambit starts with 1.d4 d5 2.c4, and it's been a mainstay of top-level chess for over a century. White offers a pawn on the side to lure Black's d-pawn away from the centre. Unlike most gambits, though, White usually gets the pawn back, so it's really a fight for the centre rather than a sacrifice.
The idea behind 2.c4
After 1.d4 d5, both sides have a pawn in the centre. White would like to play e4 too, but Black's d5 pawn prevents it. The move 2.c4 attacks d5 from the side. If Black captures with 2...dxc4, the d5 pawn is gone and White can build a big centre with e4. If Black keeps the pawn on d5, White keeps pressuring it.
Black has three main answers: take the pawn (the Accepted), support d5 with e6 (the Declined), or support it with c6 (the Slav).
The Queen's Gambit Accepted: 2...dxc4
Black takes the pawn but doesn't try to keep it. The point is to use the time White spends winning it back to develop and strike at the centre with ...c5 or ...e5.
A typical line: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O a6. White has regained the pawn and has a nice centre; Black has free development, and after an exchange on d4 White is often left with an isolated d-pawn for Black to aim at.
Trying to hold the extra pawn is a classic beginner's mistake. After 3.e3 b5? 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5?? 6.Qf3, White's queen attacks the undefended rook on a8 along the long diagonal, and Black loses material.
The Queen's Gambit Declined: 2...e6
Black simply defends d5 with the e-pawn. It's one of the most solid defences in chess, and its main drawback is clear: the pawn on e6 blocks Black's light-squared bishop on c8. A big part of Black's play is finding a job for that bishop, usually by preparing ...c5 or ...e5 later, or developing it to b7 after ...b6.
A typical position arises after 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3. White pins Black's knight and builds slowly; Black stays compact and looks for the right moment to free the position.
The Elephant Trap
A famous trap in the Declined catches White players who grab material carelessly: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Nxd5? The knight on f6 seems pinned to the queen, but 6...Nxd5! breaks the pin. If 7.Bxd8, then 7...Bb4+ forces 8.Qd2 Bxd2+ 9.Kxd2 Kxd8, and Black is a piece up. The lesson: a pin against the queen isn't absolute, because the queen can be given up for something bigger.
The minority attack
One of the most instructive plans in all of chess comes from the Exchange Variation of the Declined, where White plays cxd5 and Black recaptures exd5. White then advances the b-pawn to b5, attacking Black's c6 pawn with fewer pawns than Black has on that side (the "minority"). The aim is to leave Black with a weak, backward pawn on c6 or an isolated pawn on d5 to attack for the rest of the game.
The Slav Defence: 2...c6
Black defends d5 with the c-pawn instead. The big advantage over the Declined is that the c8 bishop isn't blocked: it can come out to f5 or g4 before Black plays ...e6. The Slav is just as solid and has been a favourite of many world champions.
A main line runs 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5. Black takes on c4 only after White has committed, and gets the bishop out actively. White plays a4 to stop ...b5, which would otherwise hold the extra pawn.
Common themes
- The isolated queen's pawn. Many lines lead to a lone pawn on d4 or d5 with no pawns beside it. Its owner gets active pieces and attacking chances; the opponent blockades it and aims for the endgame, where it becomes a weakness.
- Pressure on the c-file. Once the c-pawns are exchanged, rooks on c1 or c8 become important.
- The e4 (or e5) break. Freeing the centre with a pawn break is the main plan for whichever side is more cramped.
Practise it
Try 1.d4 and 2.c4 against the computer, and switch between the three defences when you play Black. Pay attention to the light-squared bishop: in each game, notice where it ended up and whether it was doing anything.