Queen's Gambit Accepted
ECO D20-D29intermediate
The Queen's Gambit Accepted, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4, takes the offered pawn and gives back the center — temporarily. Black's plan is concrete: rapid development with ...Nf6, ...e6, ...c5 and ...a6/...b5, hitting d4 before White's spatial edge tells. The critical test is 3.e4, building the broad center immediately; the main line 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 leads to isolated-queen-pawn positions after ...c5 that have been a laboratory of chess strategy for a century.
Main line
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O a6 7.dxc5 Qxd1
Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.
Win rates by rating
Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.
| Rating | Games | White wins | Draws | Black wins | Position after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400-600 | 382 | 43.2% | 6.8% | 50% | 1.d4 d5 2.c4 |
| 600-800 | 164 | 39.6% | 1.2% | 59.1% | 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e4 |
| 800-1000 | 74 | 51.3% | 5.4% | 43.2% | 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e4 e6 5.e5 Nd5 |
| 1000-1200 | 156 | 51.9% | 2.6% | 45.5% | 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e4 e6 5.e5 Nd5 6.Bxc4 Bb4 |
| 1200-1400 | 310 | 54.2% | 3.5% | 42.3% | 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e4 e6 5.e5 Nd5 6.Bxc4 Bb4 |
Most played continuations (400-600 rating)
After 1.d4 d5 2.c4:
- dxc4 — played 45% of the time (White wins 48.3%, draws 6.4%, Black wins 45.3%)
- e6 — played 10.2% of the time (White wins 51.3%, draws 7.7%, Black wins 41%)
- Nf6 — played 9.7% of the time (White wins 40.5%, draws 13.5%, Black wins 46%)
Related openings
Frequently asked questions
Can Black keep the extra pawn in the QGA?
Not safely. After tries like 3...b5 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.b3 White regains it with a large advantage. The QGA's philosophy is the opposite: give the pawn back gracefully and use the time White spends recapturing for active development and the ...c5 break.
Is the QGA solid or risky?
Deceptively solid — it has served as the defensive backbone of multiple world championship matches. The open positions demand activity rather than structure-tending, so it suits players who would rather develop pieces and counterattack than defend the QGD's cramped quarters.
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