D20-D29

Queen's Gambit Accepted

58 named lines in this family, ECO D20-D29. Every one of them opens 1. d4 d5 2. c4, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

The moves every line here plays

1. d4 d5 2. c4

• 1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... d5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e4, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 2. c4 Challenges the pawn on d5 - the central tension has to resolve. The pawn is genuinely on offer - this is the Queen's Gambit: development and initiative over material.

Main line, after 2... dxc4, through 2... dxc4D20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4

Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade. ...dxc4 gives up the centre to gain time against the loose c4-pawn and hit back with ...c5 - an open, piece-driven game rather than a structural one. Black has doubled pawns on the c-file.

• 2... dxc4 Takes the pawn on c4, toward the centre and opens the d-file for the queen. Theory calls this the Queen's Gambit Accepted.

Accelerated Mannheim VariationD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Qa4+

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as White's avenue and the d-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Old VariationD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3

Saduleto VariationD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4

Central Variation, Alekhine SystemD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 Nf6

Central Variation, Greco VariationD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 b5

Central Variation, McDonnell DefenseD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5

Central Variation, Modern DefenseD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 Nc6

Central Variation, Rubinstein DefenseD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 c5

Schwartz DefenseD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 f5

Central Variation, McDonnell Defense, Somov GambitD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5 4. Bxc4

Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense, Yefimov GambitD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 c5 4. d5 b5

Linares VariationD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 c5 4. d5 Nf6 5. Nc3 b5

Old Variation, Billinger GambitD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. Qb3 Qe7 6. a3

White's pawn on e3 is pinned against the king.

Old Variation, Christensen GambitD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. Qb3 Qe7 6. Nf3

Old Variation, Korchnoi GambitD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. Qb3 Qe7 6. Kf1

Old Variation, Novikov GambitD20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. Qb3 Qe7 6. Nd2

Normal Variation, through 3. Nf3D21

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3

Godes VariationD21

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nd7

Gunsberg DefenseD21

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 c5

Rosenthal VariationD21

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 e6

Slav GambitD21

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 b5

Alekhine Defense, Borisenko-Furman VariationD21

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 a6 4. e4

Alekhine DefenseD22

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 a6

Alekhine Defense, Haberditz VariationD22

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 a6 4. e3 b5

Alekhine Defense, Alatortsev VariationD22

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 a6 4. e3 Bg4 5. Bxc4 e6 6. d5

Main line, after 2... dxc4, through 3... Nf6D23

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6

Mannheim VariationD23

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qa4+

Showalter VariationD24

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3

Bogoljubow DefenseD24

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e4

Main line, after 2... e6, through 5. e4D24

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4

• 2... e6 Supports the centre, adding control of d5. Theory calls this the Queen's Gambit Declined.

Main line, after 2... e6, through 5. Bg5D24

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. Bg5

Gunsberg Defense, Prianishenmo GambitD24

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c5 5. d5 e6 6. e4 exd5 7. e5

Normal Variation, after 3... Nf6D25

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3

Janowski-Larsen VariationD25

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4

Smyslov VariationD25

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 g6

Winawer DefenseD25

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Be6

Normal Variation, Traditional System, through 4... e6D26

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6

Classical DefenseD26

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5

Classical Defense, Normal LineD26

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O

Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Development VariationD26

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O Nc6

Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Exchange VariationD26

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O cxd4

The structure hands White the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Normal Variation, Traditional System, after 5. Bxc4, through 6... a6D26

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 Be7 6. O-O a6

Normal Variation, Traditional System, after 5. Bxc4, through 6... O-OD26

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O

Normal Variation, Traditional System, after 5. Bxc4, through 7. Nc3D26

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3

Classical, Furman VariationD26

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

White's pawn on f2 is pinned against the king.

Classical Defense, Main Line, through 6... a6D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6

Classical Defense, Main Line, after 7. Nc3D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Nc3

Classical Defense, Rubinstein Variation, after 3... Nf6D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. a4

Classical Defense, Russian GambitD27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bxc4 e6 5. Nf3 c5 6. O-O a6 7. e4

Furman VariationD27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. dxc5 Bxc5

Classical Defense, Rubinstein Variation, after 3... e6D27

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bxc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 a6 8. a4 c5

Classical Defense, Alekhine System, through 7. Qe2D28

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2

Classical Defense, Alekhine System, after 7... b5D28

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5

Classical, Flohr VariationD28

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

Black's queenside bishop takes the long diagonal. Black comes out of the line with the bishop pair.

Classical Defense, Alekhine System, Main Line, through 8... Bb7D29

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7

Classical Defense, Alekhine System, Main Line, after 9. Nc3D29

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7 9. Nc3

Classical Defense, Alekhine System, Smyslov VariationD29

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7 9. Rd1 Nbd7 10. Nc3 Bd6

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