Don Chess

Learn the Queen's Gambit

World-famous since the hit series: you offer a pawn to win the centre. If Black takes it, you almost always get it back.

You play with White. How you learn it with Don Chess: watch first, then play it with an arrow, then from memory – with spaced repetition until it sticks. Free, no sign-up.

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The main line

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

D55 · Queen's Gambit Declined: Neo-Orthodox Variation, Main Line

The position after the main line

The moves explained

Why is each move played? The explanations come from the opening trainer – there you play the moves yourself afterwards.

1.d4 Occupies the centre with a pawn on d4.
1…d5 Occupies the centre with a pawn on d5.
2.c4 Gambit: the pawn on c4 is offered – for quick development and open lines.
2…e6 Supports the pawn on d5 – the centre stands firm.
3.Nc3 Develops the knight to c3 – pieces out first, then attack.
3…Nf6 Develops the knight to f6 – pieces out first, then attack.
4.Bg5 Develops the bishop to g5 – pieces out first, then attack.
4…Be7 Develops the bishop to e7 – pieces out first, then attack.
5.e3 Supports the pawn on d4 – the centre stands firm.
5…O-O Castles: the king is safe and the rook joins the game.
6.Nf3 Develops the knight to f3 – pieces out first, then attack.
6…h6 Prevention: takes important squares away from the opponent's pieces.
7.Bh4 The bishop was attacked and goes to safety on h4.

Idea and plans

The idea

Black holds the d5 strongpoint with …e6. Very solid; the problem is the c8 bishop.

Plan for White

Pressure on d5 (Bg5, cxd5), the minority attack with b4–b5 in the Exchange Variation.

Plan for Black

Prepare the freeing breaks …c5 or …e5 and activate the c8 bishop (…b6/…Bb7).

The 11 lines in the course

Grey: the moves shared with the main line. Bold: the move where the line leaves it.

Queen's Gambit Declined: Neo-Orthodox Variation, Main Line D55Main line
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 h6 7.Bh4
Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Main Line D27
1.d4 d5 2.c4 2…dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O a6
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System D18
1.d4 d5 2.c4 2…c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4
Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Fianchetto Variation D09
1.d4 d5 2.c4 2…e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3
Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line D07
1.d4 d5 2.c4 2…Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3
Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Reshevsky Variation D36
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 4…Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.e3 c6 7.Bd3 Be7 8.Qc2
Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense D46
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 3…c6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3
Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation D50
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 4…Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4
Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation D34
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 3…c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Be7 8.O-O O-O
Queen's Gambit Accepted: Alekhine Defense, Haberditz Variation D22
1.d4 d5 2.c4 2…dxc4 3.Nf3 a6 4.e3 b5 5.a4 Bb7 6.axb5 axb5 7.Rxa8 Bxa8 8.Nc3
Queen's Gambit Declined: Baltic Defense, Pseudo-Slav D02
1.d4 d5 2.c4 2…Bf5 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 c6 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.c5