Queen's Gambit Accepted: the complete guide
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4
Take the pawn, give back the tempo, equalize through development: the QGA has been analyzed since 15th-century manuscripts. Steinitz made it a weapon; the modern elite a machine for neutralizing 1.d4.
How it starts, move by move
- 1. d4d4 occupies the center.
- ... d5d5 occupies the center.
- 2. c4c4 strikes at the center.
- ... dxc4dxc4 captures a pawn, gains space.
Both sides plans
White's plan
Occupy the center, develop quickly, castle, then pick a wing.
Black's plan
Contest the center before White occupies all of it.
What is actually played
Real shares of the continuations after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4, Lichess games by Elo band.
| Continuation | Elo 1400 | Elo 1600 | Elo 1800 | Elo 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3. e3 | 29 % | 27 % | 25 % | 24 % |
| 3. Nf3 | 7 % | 8 % | 11 % | 23 % |
| 3. e4 | 27 % | 23 % | 19 % | 18 % |
| 3. Qa4+ | 3 % | 2 % | 1 % | 1 % |
The main variations
- Queen's Gambit AcceptedD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4
- Normal VariationD211. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3
- Queen's Gambit AcceptedD231. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6
- Normal VariationD251. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3
- Normal Variation, Traditional SystemD261. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
- Classical DefenseD261. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
- Classical Defense, Normal LineD261. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
- Classical Defense, Main LineD271. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
- Classical Defense, Alekhine SystemD281. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
- Classical Defense, Alekhine SystemD281. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
- Old VariationD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3
- Saduleto VariationD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4
Frequently asked questions
- What moves start the Queen's Gambit Accepted?
- The Queen's Gambit Accepted starts with 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4. Every move is explained in the interactive explorer.
- How many named variations does the Queen's Gambit Accepted have?
- 58 named variations, from the Lichess ECO database. The main ones are listed on this page; the full tree lives in the branch map.
- What is the most played continuation?
- Around 2000 Elo, the most frequent continuation is 3. e3, played in 24% of games (Lichess data).
- How can I learn the Queen's Gambit Accepted for free?
- The explorer, free play, review cards and the essential ★1 course of the Queen's Gambit Accepted are free on OpeningMate. The ★2 to ★5 levels and per-variation courses are part of Premium.
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