Queen's Gambit Accepted

Overview

In the Queen's Gambit Accepted (1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4) Black takes the gambit pawn, conceding the center temporarily in return for quick development and free piece play. Black rarely tries to cling to the extra pawn; instead it is returned at the right moment for active pieces and a timely ...c5 break.

Position after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4

Key Ideas

• Black gives back the c4-pawn and aims for fast development plus a ...c5 strike at White's center.
• White builds a broad pawn center with e3/e4 and recaptures the pawn with the bishop on c4.
• Trying to hold the pawn with ...b5 is risky — White punishes it with a2-a4.
• Open, piece-active middlegames suit players who dislike the locked structures of the QGD.

Main Variations

History

Long considered slightly passive, the QGA was rehabilitated at the highest level by players such as Anand and Carlsen, who value its clarity and active piece play over the cramped solidity of declining the gambit.