30
votes
Accepted
Did the Queen's Gambit series lead to an increased popularity of the Queen's Gambit opening?
The Queen's Gambit series debuted on 23 October 2020. The Lichess Opening Explorer provides access to the number of games by opening stratified by average rating and/or time control for set time ...
13
votes
Accepted
12
votes
Did the Queen's Gambit series lead to an increased popularity of the Queen's Gambit opening?
In addition to SecretAgentMan's answer, one reason why the series wouldn't influence the popularity of the opening is that in some countries the translation of the title isn't faithful:
In Italian ...
11
votes
Accepted
Countering the Horowitz Defense
Since you are playing the Queen Gambit, 2.c4 is indeed the most logical way to continue. The main answers, 2...d5 and 2...Nf6, should fit in your repertoire anyway. The alternative is to go for 2.Nf3 ...
10
votes
Accepted
What are the advantages of the QGD over the Slav?
It is not so easy to develop c8 bishop to f5 or g4 in any of these systems. You run into many tactics like Nh4 winning bishop on f5 for a knight, f3 e4 as in open Slav or Qb3 Ne5 stuff with bishop on ...
10
votes
Accepted
Can black play the London system?
That is the Slav, but the problem for black in many of these lines, and specifically immediately, is that if 3...Bf5, then 4.cd cd 5.Qb3 forces you to sacrifice d5 or b7 since 5...b6 just loses.
...
10
votes
Accepted
Should I switch to a different opening?
I am in my school's chess club now and my teacher tells me to use the queen's gambit instead
The fact that you are in your school's chess club changes the answer somewhat. It means you are young and ...
9
votes
Accepted
Pawn storm, should I start with h4 or g4?
Typically you use a pawn storm to exchange pawns around the castled enemy king and thereby to open lines and diagonals for an attack. Most of the time you want a closed (to some extent) center in ...
8
votes
Marshall Defense 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 — transpositions
If you don't take on d5, I think the only advantage black has gained is flexibility. That means he can choose his opening according to your move. But you can be almost 100% sure that the opening will ...
8
votes
Accepted
What are some of the best lines against the Queen's Gambit?
If you start with 1. ... d5 you have two main choices: the Slav defence with 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 and the Queen's Gambit Declined (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6).
The Slav Defence
The obvious difference between Slav ...
7
votes
Accepted
Can you recommend a variation in the English opening for a technical player?
It's a good question. Just a quick answer with some thoughts to give you some starting ideas, hopefully to be improved later.
I've always liked the English exactly for its rich transpositional ...
7
votes
Accepted
Is the queens gambit declined getting more popular than the slav?
It seems to be that the QGD is regaining some popularity at the top level due to theory advancing. I don't think that says anything about the overall popularity of the two openings though (i.e., ...
7
votes
What is this trap in QGD?
This trap is the Elephant Trap.
The video is:
Crazy Queen's Gambit Declined and Secret Preparation Revealed
7
votes
What are some of the best lines against the Queen's Gambit?
Even accepting the gambit is fine, just don't try to hold onto your extra pawn, the queen's gambit is not really technically a gambit. Black end's up in trouble when they waste tempo trying to hold ...
6
votes
Accepted
Why isn't 3.e4 more popular in the QGA?
I'm not sure which database you are looking at: I see 3.e4 as the second, not third, most popular choice on chess.com, though not by much:
Here's what one author says about 3.Nf3:
Throughout the ...
6
votes
Accepted
When should I take on c4?
It is really a matter of taste over "better". I like the tempo gain that dxc4 gives. Usually the pawn is on c4 before Bf1-d3, but when Bf1 develops, as in your game, it loses time capturing on c4. ...
6
votes
"A better move" recommended by chess.com but almost never played?
Chess.com listed this as an inaccuracy because the engine is running at a limited depth, only looking at each move for a few seconds.
When I put the position after 5...Bg4 into Stockfish, it gave an ...
6
votes
Can black play the London system?
The London Defensive System is actually a named line in the Réti Opening. And yes, it is very playable. You don't see this very often nowadays, because White will try to stop Black from playing it.
...
6
votes
Pawn storm, should I start with h4 or g4?
The main purpose of a pawn storm is to exchange pawns and open lines. Therefore, in the ideal case you should push the pawn that can easily be exchanged. With a Black pawn on g6, it makes sense to ...
5
votes
Marshall Defense 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 — transpositions
Another possible transposition after 3. Nc3:
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 we arrive at a variation of the Chigorin Defense.
A particularly tricky line is the following.
[FEN ""]
[Title "...
5
votes
Tactics to counter Queen's Gambit
You do not have to accept the gambit with 2... dxc4. This is chess, not draughts; capturing is not mandatory. (You know that, but this is a standard reply to gambits and other sacrifices.)
Both 2... ...
5
votes
Can black play the London system?
I tried this about 15 years ago and after 4. cd cd 5. Qb3 I was soon in a world of pain. I've never tried it since.
[fen ""]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Bf5 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Qb3
There is no good way to ...
5
votes
Accepted
What do QGA players usually play when White doesn't play exactly 1.d4 d5 2.c4?
It is a matter of taste
It depends on what kind of QGA they like to play, but assuming they like the main lines, there is a bunch of standard moves Black wants to get in anyway and that they can play ...
5
votes
Accepted
QGD is 3... Be7 better than 3...Nf6
3...Be7 is not stronger than 3...Nf6, nor vice versa. Both moves have their up and downsides. As you correctly stated in your question 3...Be7 works well against the popular variation 3...Nf6 4.cxd5 ...
4
votes
Why isn't 3.e4 more popular in the QGA?
I play e3 because I prefer more positional play. I want to first improve my position before a possible e4. In a more closed game the loss of tempo is not very important. That said, e4 is perfectly ...
4
votes
Accepted
Tactics to counter Queen's Gambit
If White wants to gambit a pawn, then give him a taste of his own medicine. The Albin Countergambit takes the game in a rather different direction that might be more to your liking.
And of course, ...
4
votes
Why did Bobby Fischer play the Queen's Gambit as White vs. Spassky?
You write "although" as if that were a reason not to do it, when it's the opposite. Imagine if he had done otherwise ... then someone could reasonably ask "Why did Fischer play the same ...
4
votes
Accepted
Pros and Cons for black in Queen's Gambit Accepted
A super-abridged guide to the QGA (Queen's Gambit Accepted) is that Black temporarily cedes the center with dxc4, and hopes to develop rapidly while White recovers the pawn (you'll want to look up ...
4
votes
In this QGD Exchange variation, how should white deal with 6 ...Bg4?
Usually white's aim in this line is to play Qc2 anyway to take away the F5 square from the black bishop. Therefore I dont think Nf3 is a great move. Its better for white to play Qc2 or Qb3 which is ...
4
votes
Accepted
Move orders in the 6.Qc2 Anti-Meran Semi-Slav
A lot of opening play is about what you are trying to avoid. While sharp, black does quite well against 7.g4. In reality, the quieter lines seem to have much more venom if the figures in Mega 2020 are ...
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