Queen's Gambit
The
Queen's Gambit is a
chess opening that starts with the
moves:1.d4 d5:2.c4
The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings, as
Lucena wrote about it in
1497 and it is mentioned in an earlier manuscript in
Göttingen.During the early period of modern chess queen pawn openings were not in fashion, and the Queen's Gambit did not become common until the
1873 tournament in
Vienna.As
Steinitz and
Tarrasch developed chess theory and increased the appreciation of
positional play, the Queen's Gambit grew more popular.It reached its peak popularity in the
1920s and
1930s, and was played in 32 out of 34 games in the
1934 World Chess Championship.Since then Black has increasingly moved away from symmetrical openings, tending to use the
Indian defences to combat queen pawn openings.The Queen's Gambit is still frequently played, however, and it remains an important part of many
grandmasters' opening repertoires.
With 2.c4, White threatens to exchange a wing pawn (the c-pawn) for a center pawn (Black's d-pawn) and dominate the center with e2-e4. This is not a true gambit since if Black accepts the pawn he cannot expect to keep it. An opening trap after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 goes 3.e3 b5? (Black tries to guard his pawn but should pursue development with, e.g., 3...e5!) 4.a4 c6? 5.axb5 cxb5?? 6.Qf3! winning a piece on Black's weakened queenside.
The Queen's Gambit is divided into two major categories based on Black's response: The
Queen's Gambit Accepted (QGA) and the
Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD). In the QGA, Black plays 2...dxc4, temporarily giving up the center to obtain freer development. In the QGD, Black holds the center at d5. Frequently Black will be cramped, but Black aims to exchange pieces and use the pawn breaks at c5 and e5 to free his game.
After 1.d4 d5 2.c4,
* 2...dxc4 (
Queen's Gambit Accepted) (QGA)
* 2...Nc6 (
Chigorin Defense)
* 2...c5 (
Symmetrical Defense)
* 2...c6 (
Slav Defense)
* 2...e5 (
Albin Countergambit)
* 2...e6 (
Queen's Gambit Declined) (QGD)
* 2...Bf5 (
Baltic Defense)
* 2...Nf6 (
Marshall Defense)
Technically, any Black response other than 2...dxc4 (or another line with an early ...dxc4 that transposes into the QGA) is a Queen's Gambit Declined, but the Slav, Chigorin Defense, and Albin Counter Gambit are generally treated separately. In fact there are so many QGD lines after 2...e6, that many of them are distinctive enough to warrant separate treatment. The Orthodox Defense and the
Tarrasch Defense are two important examples. See
Queen's Gambit Declined for more.
There are many other possible responses:
*The
Slav Defense is a solid response, although many variations are very tactical. If Black plays both ...c6 and ...e6 (in either order), the opening takes characteristics of both the Slav and the Orthodox Defense and is classified as a
Semi-Slav Defense.
*The
Chigorin Defense is unusual, but it appears to be playable for Black.
*The
Albin Countergambit is a sharp attempt for Black to gain the
initiative. It is not common in top-level chess, but it can be a dangerous weapon in club play.
*The
Symmetrical Defense is very rarely played. Although it has not been definitely refuted, play seems to favor White.
*If White chooses to
fianchetto his king's bishop, the game transposes into the
Catalan Opening.
*The
Baltic Defense is offbeat but playable.
*The
Marshall Defense is the weakest of the Black replies listed. Named after
Frank Marshall, who was the first to devise the move, he played it for a short while in the 1920s before abandoning it.
The Queen's Gambit, named after the opening, is also a 1983 novel by Walter Tevis (author of
The Hustler) about a female chess prodigy.
Queen's Gambit is also the name of a celtic styled musical group based in Oklahoma.
The 2005 album
Grandmasters, a collaboration between
DJ Muggs (of
Cypress Hill) and the
GZA (of
Wu-Tang Clan), features a track entitled "Queen's Gambit."
