Queen's Gambit Accepted
ECO D20, D23, D24 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4
The Queen's Gambit Accepted, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4, gives up the center temporarily to free Black's pieces. Black does not try to keep the pawn; the idea is quick development and a later ...c5 to challenge d4.
Plans for White
White recaptures with e3 and Bxc4 or builds a big center with e4. Plans include rapid development, an isolated d-pawn with attacking chances, or a kingside initiative with e4-e5.
Plans for Black
Black plays ...Nf6, ...e6, ...c5 and ...a6 with ...b5 to gain queenside space, then trades in the center. In the 3.e4 lines Black hits back with ...e5 or ...Nf6.
Typical pawn structures
Isolated queen's pawn positions are common after ...cxd4 exd4; otherwise an open center with a queenside majority for Black.
Who it suits
Players who prefer active piece play to cramped classical defense and are comfortable in isolated-pawn positions from either side.
Common traps
Hanging on to the pawn is dangerous: 3.e3 b5? 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.Qf3 wins material on the long diagonal to a8.
Variations
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Alekhine Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 a6
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 c5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Gunsberg Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 c5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Accelerated Mannheim Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Qa4+
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Alekhine System — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 Nf6
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Greco Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 b5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Modern Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 Nc6
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Godes Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nd7
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Rosenthal Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 e6
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Schwartz Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 f5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Slav Gambit — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 b5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Mannheim Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qa4+
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Showalter Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Janowski-Larsen Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Smyslov Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 g6
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Winawer Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Be6
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Bogoljubow Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e4
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Linares Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 c5 4. d5 Nf6 5. Nc3 b5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Furman Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. dxc5 Bxc5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical, Furman Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. Qe2 a6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Nc6 9. e4 b5 10. e5
- Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical, Flohr Variation — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5 8. Bb3 Nc6 9. Rd1 c4 10. Bc2 Nb4 11. Nc3 Nxc2 12. Qxc2 Bb7 13. d5 Qc7