It’s time to get familiar with one of the oldest openings that’s still highly popular. Whenever you encounter the Queen’s Gambit in chess, it sets the base for further development. Let’s break down the details of this well-known attacking technique and see the main variations.
Overview
It consists of three steps.
- The opening move belongs to the central pawn which is shifted to the d4 square. It makes the way for the bishop located behind. So now the piece can develop freely. As for the pawn, it remains protected by the queen.
- Black mirrors the rival by advancing the pawn to d5.
- White’s second move is the neighboring pawn traveling to c4. Thus, the player is threatening to exchange it for Black’s active pawn in the center.
This kind of opening allows White to create continuous pressure on the opponent.
Queen’s Gambit in chess: major variations
- In this case, Black continues by taking the opponent’s wing pawn on c4. In fact, the player accepts the sacrifice, hence the name of the gambit. Usually, the pawn is later recaptured by White. Meanwhile, Black has a tempo advantage that can be used to play in the center.
- As you could guess by the name, Black rejects the rival’s sacrifice. Instead, the player proceeds with the e6 move made by the king’s pawn. Thanks to that, Black releases the bishop that moves along dark squares. By refusing to play along and capture White’s pawn, Black obtains a secure position in the center.
Final words
Queen’s Gambit in chess is an important element of the opening theory. Hopefully, you’ve gained an understanding of what it is and how to play it. Now, it’s time to practice!