Queen’s Gambit: accepted, declined and the Elephant Trap
The Queen’s Gambit starts 1.d4 d5 2.c4. White offers the c-pawn to pull Black’s d-pawn away from the centre. It is one of the oldest and most respected openings, played in world championship matches for more than a century.
It is called a gambit, but Black cannot really keep the pawn: White wins it back in almost every line.
The Queen’s Gambit Declined
The most solid answer is 2…e6: Black keeps the pawn on d5 and develops calmly. The price is the light-squared bishop on c8, shut in behind the pawn on e6.
Why the gambit pawn can’t be kept
After 2…dxc4 Black may take the pawn, but trying to hold on to it with …b5 is a mistake: White undermines the pawns on the queenside, and the long diagonal opens towards the rook on a8.
Plans to remember
- White presses on d5 and on the queenside; a common plan is the minority attack, pushing the b-pawn to break up Black’s pawns.
- Black frees the game with …c5 or …e5 and finds a good square for the light-squared bishop.
- In the Accepted line, give the pawn back in good time and develop your pieces.
Exercise: the Elephant Trap
After 4…Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 White grabbed a pawn with 6.Nxd5??, counting on the pin of the knight on f6. Black to move: punish it.
Make the move on the board: drag a piece, or click it and then a square.
Solved!
6…Nxd5! If 7.Bxd8, then 7…Bb4+ 8.Qd2 and Black takes the queen back, staying a whole knight up. The bishop on g5 pinned the knight only to the queen, not to the king, so the knight was free to move.
Key points
- The Queen’s Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.c4. White offers a pawn to pull Black’s d-pawn from the centre.
- Declining with 2…e6 is the most solid answer; mind the light-squared bishop on c8.
- Accepting with 2…dxc4 is fine, but don’t try to keep the pawn with …b5.