Queen's Gambit Declined · D06

Baltic Defense

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5

In the centre, White holds d4 while Black holds d5.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 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.
• 2... Bf5 Develops the bishop with tempo - it attacks the knight on b1. Theory calls this the Baltic Defense.

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