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30 votes
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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 ...
SecretAgentMan's user avatar
13 votes
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What is this trap in QGD?

This is known as the Elephant Trap.
ericw31415's user avatar
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 ...
Fabio says Reinstate Monica's user avatar
11 votes
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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 ...
Evargalo's user avatar
  • 16.7k
10 votes
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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 ...
hoacin's user avatar
  • 3,286
10 votes
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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. ...
PhishMaster's user avatar
  • 32.7k
10 votes
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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 ...
Brian Towers's user avatar
  • 100k
9 votes
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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 ...
user1583209's user avatar
  • 20.9k
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 ...
kmartin's user avatar
  • 1,638
8 votes
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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 ...
Matija Sirk's user avatar
  • 2,767
7 votes
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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 ...
Ellie's user avatar
  • 12k
7 votes
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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., ...
Inertial Ignorance's user avatar
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
Stevo's user avatar
  • 244
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 ...
Paweł's user avatar
  • 298
6 votes
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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 ...
itub's user avatar
  • 10.6k
6 votes
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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. ...
Ywapom's user avatar
  • 6,111
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 ...
D M's user avatar
  • 20.3k
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. ...
fuxia's user avatar
  • 1,310
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 ...
Inertial Ignorance's user avatar
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 "...
Dag Oskar Madsen's user avatar
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... ...
Glorfindel's user avatar
  • 25k
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 ...
Brian Towers's user avatar
  • 100k
5 votes
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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 ...
Evargalo's user avatar
  • 16.7k
5 votes
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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 ...
mainsequence's user avatar
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 ...
Michael West's user avatar
  • 5,206
4 votes
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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, ...
eyeballfrog's user avatar
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 ...
Jim Balter's user avatar
4 votes
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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 ...
Feryll's user avatar
  • 525
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 ...
nak3c's user avatar
  • 718
4 votes
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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 ...
PhishMaster's user avatar
  • 32.7k

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