Queen's Gambit Declined: moves, ideas and plans

White offers the c-pawn to deflect Black from the centre. Black declines and keeps a rock-solid position.

D58Play it as WhiteIntermediate14 moves

Main line: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 b6

Key ideas

• c4 attacks d5 from the side.
• Bg5 pins the f6 knight and pressures d5.
• White usually plays for the minority attack on the queenside.

The Queen's Gambit Declined move by move

Every move of the main line, with the reason it is played. The final position is recognised in the opening database as D58 Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense.

1. 1. d4Claims the centre with a pawn protected by the queen.
2. 1… d5Symmetrical.
3. 2. c4The Queen's Gambit: if ...dxc4 White regains the pawn and gets e4.
4. 2… e6Declined. Black supports d5 with a pawn.
5. 3. Nc3More pressure on d5.
6. 3… Nf6Defends d5 again.
7. 4. Bg5Pins the knight to the queen, indirectly attacking d5.
8. 4… Be7Breaks the pin and prepares castling.
9. 5. e3Opens the diagonal for the f1 bishop and supports d4.
10. 5… O-OBlack castles.
11. 6. Nf3Natural development.
12. 6… h6Asks the bishop a question.
13. 7. Bh4White keeps the pin.
14. 7… b6The Tartakower Variation: the c8 bishop will go to b7, Black's hardest piece to develop.

More openings for White