Queen's Gambit Accepted
You play Black · 31 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 15
- Classical Defense, Alekhine System, Main LineD291. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7 9. Nc39 moves
- Classical Defense, Main LineD271. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Nc37 moves
- Classical Defense, Alekhine System, Smyslov VariationD291. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7 9. Rd1 Nbd7 10. Nc3 Bd610 moves
- Classical Defense, Rubinstein VariationD271. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bxc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 a6 8. a4 c58 moves
- Classical Defense, Rubinstein VariationD271. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. a47 moves
- Classical Defense, Russian GambitD271. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bxc4 e6 5. Nf3 c5 6. O-O a6 7. e47 moves
- Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Development VariationD261. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O Nc66 moves
- Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Exchange VariationD261. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O cxd46 moves
- Linares VariationD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 c5 4. d5 Nf6 5. Nc3 b55 moves
- Normal Variation, Traditional SystemD261. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 Be7 6. O-O a66 moves
- Old Variation, Billinger GambitD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. Qb3 Qe7 6. a36 moves
- Old Variation, Christensen GambitD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. Qb3 Qe7 6. Nf36 moves
- Old Variation, Korchnoi GambitD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. Qb3 Qe7 6. Kf16 moves
- Old Variation, Novikov GambitD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. Qb3 Qe7 6. Nd26 moves
- Alekhine Defense, Alatortsev VariationD221. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 a6 4. e3 Bg4 5. Bxc4 e6 6. d56 moves
Other variations · 16
- Queen's Gambit AcceptedD241. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e45 moves
- Queen's Gambit AcceptedD241. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. Bg55 moves
- Classical, Flohr VariationD281. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5 8. Bb3 Nc6 9. Rd1 c4 10. Bc2 Nb4 11. Nc3 Nxc2 12. Qxc2 Bb7 13. d5 Qc713 moves
- Classical, Furman VariationD261. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. Qe2 a6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Nc6 9. e4 b5 10. e510 moves
- Gunsberg DefenseD211. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 c53 moves
- Gunsberg Defense, Prianishenmo GambitD241. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 c5 5. d5 e6 6. e4 exd5 7. e57 moves
- Accelerated Mannheim VariationD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Qa4+3 moves
- Bogoljubow DefenseD241. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e45 moves
- Furman VariationD271. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. dxc5 Bxc57 moves
- Godes VariationD211. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nd73 moves
- Janowski-Larsen VariationD251. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg44 moves
- Mannheim VariationD231. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qa4+4 moves
- Schwartz DefenseD201. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 f53 moves
- Slav GambitD211. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 b53 moves
- Smyslov VariationD251. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 g64 moves
- Winawer DefenseD251. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Be64 moves
What is the Queen's Gambit Accepted?
The Queen's Gambit Accepted starts 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4. Black takes the c4 pawn, not to keep it, but to free the position: White spends time regaining it, and Black uses that time to develop and strike at the center with ...c5 and ...e6. The classical main line is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O a6. The character is classical and fairly open, often leading to positions where White has an isolated queen's pawn. It is a respected, mainstream defense played at the highest level, and a more open alternative to the Queen's Gambit Declined.
Main ideas and plans
In the Classical Defense Black develops with ...Nf6, ...e6, ...c5 and ...a6, often followed by ...b5 and ...Bb7 in the Alekhine System, putting the bishop on the long diagonal and gaining queenside space with tempo against the bishop on c4. When the c5 and d4 pawns are exchanged, White often gets an isolated d-pawn; your plan is to blockade it on d5, trade pieces, and target it in the endgame. The exchange line of the Steinitz Variation, with ...cxd4, heads for that structure directly. The Janowski-Larsen with ...Bg4 and the Alekhine Defense with an early ...a6 are flexible alternatives with the same goals.
White's most ambitious answer is e4, taking the full center. Black can hit back with ...e5, ...Nf6 or ...c5; the Linares Variation, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 c5 4.d5 Nf6 5.Nc3 b5, is a sharp, double-edged way to play. The Old Variation with e3 is quieter, but it hides a classic trap for greedy Black players. After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qa4+, the Mannheim Variation, Black simply blocks and develops. In every line, don't try to hold the extra pawn with an early ...b5 unless the move is concretely justified.
Who is it for?
The QGA suits players who want active, clear play against 1.d4 without the passivity sometimes found in the Queen's Gambit Declined. It needs a good understanding of isolated queen's pawn positions and of the timing of ...c5. The main risk is that White gets a strong center or a quick initiative if you are slow. Before anything else, learn why holding the pawn backfires: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 b5 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.Qf3 attacks the rook on a8 and wins a piece.