Expert: Tony D'Aloisio - 9/10/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I am trying to understand the variations in Queens Gambit. In the accepted line, I try to reclaim the white pawn, but Black responds after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 knF6 3.Bishop f4 .. pawn takes pawn dxc4 4.e3 .. Bishop e6.
At this point i am unable to proceed with reclaiming the pawn, and have not found this variation anywhere.

If i continue to respond 5.Queen A4(check) .. Queen d7.. can I continue without going queen against queen?

ANSWER: It looks to me like 5 Na3 does the trick.  Then if 5... Qd5 6 Qa4+.

The line you give (5 Qa4+ Qd7) leads to some hard-to fathom complications.  After 6 Qxd7+ Kxd7 7 Na3 regains the pawn and leaves the Black king in a shaky position.  So Black should probably play 6... Nbxd7.  Then after 7 Na3 (7 Bxc7 Rc8 looks good for Black) Nb6 8 Rc1 (8 Bxc7 gets very murky indeed after 8... Na4) I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but I have the feeling that White is going to come out on top.

Anyway, there is I think a simpler (and better) move after the queen check:  5... c6.  Now with the b5 threat Black will retain his pawn (6 Bxb8 Qxb8).

Btw I'm far from an expert on the openings--and perhaps all of this is some new in-vogue line--but I really don't understand why White doesn't just play 3 cd.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, that clears a lot up.. Could you suggest some tool through which I can analyze my game.. perhaps a computer program to test specific openings?

Answer
You can try the usual number-crunchers, like Fritz, Shredder, etc.  Honestly though, I wouldn't necessarily trust their play in the early stages of the game.  I've heard people tell me that computer software programs have made considerable strides forward recently, but their grasp of the opening has always seemed a bit iffy to me.

I think your best bet is to play a lot of games against better players, get what feedback you can from them, and keep on studying (also, using an engine to analyze your own games after you've played them is a good idea).