Chess Openings - Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD)

Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD)

The Queen's Gambit Declined begins with ... e6, when Black defends the d5-pawn instead of taking on c4, so that an exchange on d5 can be answered by recapturing with the e6-pawn.

Black's position is solid and the pawns on d5 and e6 give a grip on the center. The price is that 2... e6 releases the dark-squared bishop but the light-squared bishop is constrained on c8, and nearly everything in this opening revolves around that bishop: White tries to exploit its passivity, while Black tries to release it, trade it, or prove that a passive bishop can still do a useful defensive job. The opening has the reputation of being one of Black's most reliable answers to 1. d4.

"The" Queen's Gambit Declined happen only when Black plays 2... e6. Other ways of declining the pawn (2... c6, 2... e5, 2... ♞c6, 2... ♝f5, 2... c5, 2... ♞f6) have their own names and are usually treated separately; they are listed at the end here. The Queen's Gambit Accepted is covered in a different page here.

Basic ideas

A typical development in the main line looks like this: Black completes the kingside first, and only then decides how to solve the two central problems of the position.

White usually develops the queenside first and the kingside afterwards, and Black does exactly the opposite. From here Black must find a way to activate the c8-bishop, and must free the game with a pawn break.

... c5 gains space and opens lines, and it often leads to one side accepting isolated pawns in exchange for dynamic compensation. ... e5 is played in some systems, and the possibility of opening files with ... dxc4 and ... cxd4 is what allows Black's major pieces into the game.

The bishop can be activated by a fianchetto with ... b6 and ... ♝b7, or by playing ... dxc4 followed by ... e5, which opens the c8–h3 diagonal. In some lines Black simply plays ... ♝d7.

The e4-square is kept under control by the pawn on d5, and Black often uses it as an outpost for the knight with ... ♞e4.

An eventual ... dxc4 surrenders the center, so Black usually only plays it when it wins a tempo, which means after White has spent a move on ♗d3.

Main line 3. ♘c3 ♞f6

The most common third move for White is 3. ♘c3, and the most common answer is 3... ♞f6. From this position, White has three principal fourth moves: 4. ♗g5, the traditional pin; 4. cxd5, the Exchange Variation; and 4. ♘f3, the Three Knights Variation.

Traditional line 4. ♗g5

With 4. ♗g5 the bishop pins the f6-knight against the queen, and White's threat is cxd5 followed by ♘xd5 that would win a pawn if the pin were still in place.

Black's most common reply is 4... ♝e7. The main alternative is 4... ♞bd7, which sets the Elephant Trap and the Cambridge Springs Defense (here). 4... h6 is considered weak because of the exchange on f6, after which 5... gxf6 leaves doubled isolated pawns, and 5... ♛xf6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. ♘xd5 loses a pawn.

4... ♝e7 and the Orthodox setup

After 4... ♝e7 play typically continues 5. e3 O-O 6. ♘f3, or 5. ♘f3 O-O 6. e3. The same position is also reached from the Three Knights Variation after 4. ♘f3 ♝e7 5. ♗g5, although that move order gives White the option of 5. ♗f4 instead.

From this position Black has three main ways to continue, distinguished by whether the move ... h6 is played: the Orthodox Defense with 6... ♞bd7, and the Neo-Orthodox systems that begin with 6... h6 and lead to the Tartakower, Lasker and Anti-Tartakower variations. Omitting ... h6 altogether is characteristic of the Classical Variation.

Orthodox Defense 6... ♞bd7

The Classical Variation, also known as the Orthodox Defense, most often continues 7. ♖c1 c6, after which White's most common move is 8. ♗d3. Black takes on c4 at once, because 8... dxc4 9. ♗xc4 has cost White a tempo by having played ♗d3 before ♗xc4, and Black then frees the game with ♞d5.

The knight offers the exchange of a pair of minor pieces.

The move 12... e5 releases the c8-bishop, and after the central exchanges White can set the kingside pawn majority moving with 15. f4.

An alternative for Black is to kick the bishop at once with 9... b5, which allows a fianchetto with ... ♝b7, while 7... a6 is another way to deviate; against 7... a6 White can play 8. cxd5 or the space-gaining 8. c5.

For White, the most common deviations from the main line 7. ♖c1 c6 8. ♗d3 are 7. ♕c2 and 8. ♕c2. The point of delaying ♗d3 is the struggle for the tempo described above: White develops everything else first and waits for Black to commit to ... dxc4, so that the bishop can reach c4 in a single move.

An immediate 7. ♗d3 is also possible, but Black benefits from being able to play ... c5 without having already played ... c6, and 7. cxd5 tends to lead to common lines of the Exchange Variation after 7... exd5, though it also permits 7... ♞xd5.

Neo-Orthodox 6... h6

Black can also ask the bishop what it intends to do at once. The Neo-Orthodox move 6... h6 usually forces 7. ♗h4, and from there Black chooses between three well-known systems (White also has the exchange on f6, here).

These variations are also commonly reached via 5... h6 6. ♗h4 O-O 7. ♘f3 (or 7. e3 if ♘f3 was played earlier). All three are solid, and Black's main problems remain the activation of the c8-bishop and the freeing move ... c5 (or sometimes ... e5).

Tartakower System 7... b6

The c8-bishop is fianchettoed to b7, at the cost of a weakening of the light squares on the queenside; White will continue with cxd5 to open the c-file.

The main line goes 8. cxd5 ♞xd5, and after the exchange of the dark-squared bishops and a knight, Black recaptures with the pawn and completes development with ... ♝e6.

After 12. ♕a4 c5 13. ♕a3 ♜c8 White has a choice between 14. ♗b5 or 14. ♗e2. The recapture 8... exd5 leads to a quieter game.

Lasker Defense 7... ♞e4

The Lasker Defense often leading to the exchange of two sets of minor pieces, which relieves Black's position.

The variation has a reputation for being solid.

7... ♞bd7 system

The third way to meet 7. ♗h4 avoids committing either the b-pawn or the f6-knight: Black develops the queenside knight and prepares the break ... c5 with 8. ♖c1 c5.

Anti-Tartakower 6. ♗xf6

White can also avoid the whole Tartakower–Lasker complex by exchanging on f6 as soon as ... h6 is played.

The exchange concedes the bishop pair, and Black still has to solve the problem of the c8-bishop.

4... ♞bd7 sidelines

Instead of 4... ♝e7, Black can develop the queenside knight at once with 4... ♞bd7. This sets a trap and prepares the Cambridge Springs Defense.

Elephant trap

If White tries to win a pawn with an immediate exchange on d5, Black can adopt the Elephant Trap.

White thinks that the f6-knight cannot move because it is pinned to the queen, but after 6... ♞xd5! the queen is simply given up and regained: 7. ♗xd8 ♝b4+ leaves White with only one legal move to meet the check, and Black comes out a minor piece ahead.

Cambridge springs defense 6... ♛a5

If White avoids the trap, the common continuation 5. e3 c6 6. ♘f3 allows the Cambridge Springs Defense.

The queen breaks the pin of the knight to the queen on the h4–d8 diagonal and pins the c3-knight to the king, exploiting the absence of White's queen's bishop from the queenside. If Black later plays ... dxc4, there may be tactics involving discovered attacks on the bishop on g5, and Black intends ... ♝b4 and possibly ... ♞e4, with pressure along the a5–e1 diagonal. The main reply is 7. ♘d2, countering that pressure.

Two other replies to the Cambridge Springs are worth knowing. 7. cxd5 resolves the tension in the center, and Black's strongest recapture is 7... ♞xd5, continuing the attack on c3; the most common continuation is 8. ♕d2 ♝b4 9. ♖c1, when White has defended against the immediate threats but Black still needs to activate the c8-bishop, and a typical sequence is 9... h6 10. ♗h4 c5 11. a3 ♝xc3 12. bxc3 b6, a Nimzo-Indian type of position in which White has the bishop pair and Black has the more compact structure.

The other option is 7. ♗xf6, which prevents any discovered-attack tactics on the bishop. White can also avoid the Cambridge Springs altogether: by playing cxd5 earlier and transposing to the Exchange Variation after 5. cxd5 exd5 or 6. cxd5 exd5, or by playing 6. a3, which has been played by Capablanca.

Exchange variation 4. cxd5

White can also release the central tension. The Exchange Variation is popular, and has gradually become more common than 4. ♗g5. After 4... exd5 the pawn structure is asymmetrical: White has a central pawn majority, Black a majority on the queenside, and plans on both sides are clear-cut and easy to understand, which is why so little theory is needed to start playing it.

White pins the knight at once and keeps the development of the king's knight open. Black's fifth move must answer the threat of 6. ♗xf6 ♛xf6 7. ♘xd5, winning a pawn, or 6... gxf6, inflicting doubled isolated pawns. The most common replies, 5... c6 and 5... ♝e7, usually transpose to the same line, while 5... ♝b4+, 5... ♞bd7 and 5... ♝e6 are notable alternatives.

After 5... c6 the main line continues 6. e3 ♝e7 7. ♗d3 ♞bd7 8. ♕c2 O-O (or 8... ♞h5), followed by either 9. ♘f3 or 9. ♘ge2. This is the Carlsbad structure, and there are two classical plans for White.

With the knight on f3 White prepares the minority attack, ♖ab1 followed by b2–b4–b5 and bxc6. Once the pawn reaches b5, White can attack Black with a weakness whatever the reply: taking on b5 leaves an isolated d5-pawn, and letting White capture on c6 creates a backward pawn on the open c-file, while recapturing on c6 with a piece is even less desirable. Black's active resources are the counterplay with ... ♞e4 on the kingside, blocking the pawn with ... b5 followed by a knight transfer to c4, or meeting b5 with ... c5, accepting an isolated pawn only after White has weakened some squares.

The alternative is the central plan with the knight on e2.

Here White prepares e3–e4 by f2–f3, and Black needs a well-timed ... c5 to counter the center; note that the break only becomes advisable once White has weakened himself with f3.

Chances in the structure are balanced, but the long-term chances favor White, so Black is usually more or less forced to use the piece activity to attack White's king. The most common move order deviations are as follows. 6. ♕c2 is the Reshevsky Variation (although transposition back to the main line is common), and Black can also play 6... ♝f5, which often leads to an endgame.

The most common way of inserting ... h6 is shown below, and again it is often reached by other move orders. Although 11... ♞f8 is possible here, similarly to the lines without ... h6, the moves 11... ♞h5, 11... ♞e4 and 11... a5 are more commonly played.

Black also has the option of recapturing with the knight, 4... ♞xd5, which most often ends up transposing to the Semi-Tarrasch Defense after 5. e4 ♞xc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. ♘f3, although White may play 7. ♖b1 or 7. a3.

Three knights 4. ♘f3

The Three Knights Variation is more often reached from the move order 1. d4 ♞f6 2. c4 e6 3. ♘f3 d5 4. ♘c3, which White plays to avoid the Nimzo-Indian (from White's point of view) and Black's Exchange Variation (from Black's). Black has many ways of answering.

The main options are 4... ♝e7 (the main variation), 4... ♝b4 (the Ragozin), 4... dxc4 (the Vienna), 4... c5 (the Semi-Tarrasch) and 4... c6 (the Semi-Slav). Less common are 4... ♞bd7 and 4... a6, treated at the end of this section.

Harrwitz attack 5. ♗f4

After 4... ♝e7, 5. ♗g5 transposes to the traditional line, but White can avoid this most notably with 5. ♗f4. Placing the bishop on g5 allows Black to exchange freely with moves like ♞f6–e4, as in the Lasker Defense; ♗f4 is designed to restrict that possibility and to reduce Black's chances of gaining the bishop pair.

Black's defenses have been refined, and 6... b6, 6... ♞bd7 and 6... c5 are reliable. The first two are solid though a little passive, while 6... c5 is the most principled and can become sharp, as in this illustrative line.

Ragozin 4... ♝b4

In the Ragozin Variation, Black develops the dark-squared bishop to b4 and pins the knight on c3 as in the Nimzo-Indian. Since Black has already played ... d5, White has no need to fear doubled pawns after an exchange on c3, because at any moment the c-pawn can take on d5.

Black's plans are an early ... c5, or, when White pins the f6-knight with ♗g5, going for ... h6, ... g5 and ... ♞e4. White has three main options.

The first is 5. ♗g5. Black can answer with 5... h6, 5... ♞bd7 or 5... dxc4, the last transposing to the Vienna. After 5... h6 the usual continuation is 6. ♗xf6 (6. ♗h4 is well met by 6... dxc4).

With 5... ♞bd7 the most frequent continuation is 6. e3 c5, the Westphalian Variation, or the same moves after an exchange, 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 c5. The same setup can also be reached by the move order 4... ♞bd7, which sidesteps 5. ♕a4+.

The second is the exchange 5. cxd5, after which the usual continuation is 5... exd5 6. ♗g5 h6 7. ♗h4 O-O 8. e3 ♝f5. This avoids the potential transposition into the Vienna and is the main line against the Ragozin. Black solves the problem of the c8-bishop and continues with ... ♞bd7, with ideas of ... g5 and ... ♞e4; 6. ♗f4 is a more restrictive alternative.

The third is the check 5. ♕a4+ (the Alekhine Variation), which forces the knight to c6 where it blocks the c-pawn. The usual continuation is 5... ♞c6 6. e3 O-O followed by 7. ♕c2 or 7. ♗d2, and Black plays for counterplay in the center with ... dxc4 and ... e5, often prepared by ... ♝d6.

Vienna variation 4... dxc4

In the Vienna, Black is taking on c4 and giving White the chance to occupy the center with a second pawn by e2–e4. The counter is to place the dark-squared bishop on b4 and attack the white center with ... c5.

White has the quieter continuation 5. e3 (the Quiet Variation), followed by taking on c4 with the bishop, and the check 5. ♕a4+ is also worth considering. But the main line leads to complicated play in which both sides need good preparation.

White's pawns or pieces occupy the central squares in exchange for long-term pawn structure weaknesses.

Semi-Tarrasch 4... c5

The distinction between the Tarrasch and the Semi-Tarrasch is that after 5. cxd5 Black can recapture 5... ♞xd5, and so does not have to play with an isolated d-pawn; the price is that Black cedes a space advantage to White. After 5. cxd5 ♞xd5 White tends to play either 6. e4 or 6. e3, which lead to different types of middlegame.

6. e4 is the most common move and leads to a position similar to the Exchange Variation of the Grünfeld Defense, but with Black having exchanged the dark-squared bishop rather than fianchettoing it. White gets the advantage in the center, while Black has easy development and a solid position without weaknesses, and it is a more drawish line than 6. e3.

The other important choice for Black, is 5... cxd4, which in its main line leads directly into an ending, similar to the Berlin endgame in the Ruy Lopez. Black gets a damaged pawn structure but an extra pawn, and most games from here end in draws.

Black has other choices as well. 5... exd5 is rarer, and the usual continuation 6. ♗g5 ♝e6 is also frequently reached from the Tarrasch proper; White can instead transpose to the Tarrasch main line with 6. g3. Finally, in the Symmetrical Variation. White gives up the fianchetto and keeps the tension with 5. e3, after which 5... ♞c6 is normal.

White may then inflict the isolated pawn on Black, accept the weakness himself in return for active piece play, or play 6. a3, aiming for dxc5 followed by b4 and ♗b2, so that the extra tempo will count if Black keeps the symmetry.

Semi-Slav 4... c6

After 4... c6 Black adopts the Semi-Slav, a structure that mixes the e6-pawn of the Orthodox variation with the c6-pawn of the Slav. White's two main tries are 5. ♗g5 and 5. e3.

The Botvinnik Variation (5... dxc4) is the sharpest line: Black sacrifices a pawn and ruins the kingside structure but obtains counterplay. Other sharp lines arise after 5... h6, the Moscow Variation with 6. ♗xf6 and the Anti-Moscow with 6. ♗h4. After 5. e3 come the Meran, 5... ♞bd7 6. ♗d3 dxc4 7. ♗xc4 b5, and the Anti-Meran lines with 6. ♕c2.

Tarrasch defense 3... c5

Black's third move can also be a bid for central space. After White plays cxd5 and dxc5, Black is left with an isolated pawn on d5; such a pawn may be weak, but it grants Black a grip to the center and gives the bishops unobstructed lines.

White isolates the pawn with 4. cxd5 exd5 and the most common move is then 5. ♘f3, which allows ... ♞xd4 in response to a potential ... cxd4. After the usual 5... ♞c6 (the move 5... ♞f6 transposes to the Semi-Tarrasch) the most common setup is the fianchetto 6. g3, the Rubinstein System, which puts pressure on the isolated pawn, since 3... c5 has given up the possibility of protecting d5 with ... c6.

9. ♗g5 is played most frequently, though 9. dxc5 and 9. b3 are the main alternatives. The traditional main line continues 9... cxd4 10. ♘xd4 h6 11. ♗e3 ♜e8.

The other main branch is 6. dxc5. Black's main reply is 6... d4, Tarrasch's original idea, and the main line then runs as follows, White gaining the bishop pair in positions that can be a little unpleasant for Black to defend; 9. ♕d2 is also possible, and after 9. ♗d2 ♛xc5 the main move is 10. ♖c1. To avoid this, some Black players have switched to 5... ♞f6, when 6. ♗g5 ♝e6 gives a comparatively fresh position.

Other lines: the Swedish (or Folkestone) Variation 6... c4 is a sharp line in which Black has a four-to-three queenside majority and will try to expand with ... b5, with White aiming for the central break e4. It is considered somewhat dubious and is rarely seen in modern practice.

White has a few other options. 5. dxc5 can be met with 5... d4, kicking the knight; this is the Tarrasch Gambit, and 6. ♘a4 (often continuing 6... b5) and 6. ♘e4 are both common. 5. e4 is a rare gambit tried by Marshall. 4. e3 is the most common alternative to 4. cxd5, often leading to a symmetrical position after 4... ♞f6 5. ♘f3 ♞c6 (see the Symmetrical Variation of the Semi-Tarrasch), and 4. ♘f3 can transpose to the main line after 4... ♞c6, to the Semi-Tarrasch after 4... ♞f6, or lead to an independent line with 4... cxd4 5. ♘xd4 e5.

Finally, after 4. cxd5 Black may offer the Hennig–Schara Gambit with 4... cxd4. the older evaluation holds that it is advantageous for White, although a more recent view is that the gambit is quite playable, as Black sacrifices a pawn for a lead in development.

White's other third moves

3. ♘f3

White also commonly plays 3. ♘f3. It usually transposes to the Three Knights after 3... ♞f6 4. ♘c3, or to the Catalan after 3... ♞f6 4. g3. The drawback is that after 3... ♞f6 the Exchange Variation is no longer considered dangerous, and White is committed to 4. ♗g5, 4. ♘c3 or 4. g3; this is why many Black players start with 1. d4 ♞f6 2. c4 e6 and go for ... d5 only after 3. ♘f3, playing the Nimzo-Indian against 3. ♘c3.

The best-known point of that move order for Black is that against the exchange the c8-bishop gets out with tempo: 4. cxd5 exd5 5. ♘c3 c6 6. ♗g5 h6 7. ♗h4 ♝f5.

Black has independent replies as well. 3... c5 is the Pseudo-Tarrasch; in the Rubinstein System 4. cxd5 exd5 5. g3 ♞c6 6. ♗g2 ♞f6 7. O-O, by choosing the move order without ♘c3 White can avoid the topical Dubov variation, as the analogous 7... cxd4 8. ♘xd4 ♝c5 runs into 9. ♘xc6! bxc6 10. ♕c2!, hitting the bishop and forcing a concession. On the other hand 4. cxd5 exd5 5. ♘c3 transposes to the main Tarrasch. 3... c6 is an accelerated Semi-Slav, and the Triangle System with 4. e3 f5 5. ♗d3 ♞f6 6. O-O ♝d6 allows White to try 7. b3, going for the exchange of Black's "good" bishop by 8. ♗a3. Lastly 3... dxc4 transposes to the Queen's Gambit Accepted and 3... a6 is also possible.

3. cxd5

This is an accelerated version of the Exchange Variation. After the usual 3... exd5 4. ♘c3 Black can transpose to the standard Exchange Variation with 4... ♞f6, but 4... c6 is a common move that avoids transposing.

3. e3

A quiet line in which White's queen's bishop is kept inside the pawn chain. Play may transpose to the Semi-Slav if Black plays ... c6.

3. g3

3. g3 usually transposes to the Catalan after 3... ♞f6, but it gives Black the option of an independent line, typically continuing 3... dxc4 and a sharp sequence of exchanges.

Other second moves

In its broadest sense, the Queen's Gambit Declined is any variation of the Queen's Gambit in which Black does not play ... dxc4, but the variations other than 2... e6 have their own names and are usually treated separately.

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