18 FUNDAMENTAL CHESS OPENINGS

just that litle bit less

attractive (from Black's
pointof view)than with a white bishop on g5.
B On the other hand Blacknow has a move that is
simplybad with a bishop on g5, but is entirely

feasible after 5 Af4.

6
Thus it is only natural that this hasbecome
the main line. With White's bishop on f4 in

stead of g5,Black's d5-pawn is safe.

dxes Sxc5 (D)

W
move-orders to reach the Semi-Slav, and will be
dealt with in the next chapter.

3..Df6 4 Df3 &e7

Black's most classical move. Now 5 g5

will take us back to the 4 g5 lines,but White
has an important alternative which rose to great
prominencein the 1990s.
5 Rr4 (D)
On the face of it, this move is less aggressive White now has a choice of two fundamen
than 5g5, but it has the great
not taily differen he first isto
keepe
overily encouraging
standardfma simplifying sition
Cent plans.
simpleby exchanging on dS. The
noeuvres like ..De4. line runs & cxd5 Axds9xdS exdS and now

both 10 a3 and10d3have beenplayed. 10a3

stops from playing 10..kb4+. After
Black
something like 10..2c6 11 12 0-0 d3 b6
B Rg4 Black has his pieces satisfacto
i
rily,. but White may still enethe iso
hone to besiege
lated d-pawn. 10 d3 b4+ pursues the same
strategy more fanatically, ignoring the some
what precarious of the white king and
position
hoping to take advantageof the now rather
loosely placed bishop on b4.
The other and far more popular plan is not to
worry abouta possible .dxc4,play 8 a3 or 8
Wc2. develop the queenside and increase the
pressure on d5 later on. A critical position arises
after 8a3Dc6 9c2 Wa5 (D).
5 )-0 Black's last move threatens ..De4 and forces
6 e3 White to react.
Now the nornal'moves 6.bd7, 6...c6 and The oldest line in this position goes 10 d1
6...b6 have never really caught on. Most of the e7 d2 11 allowing but also forcing Black
resulting middlegane positions are regarded as (in view of thethreat of 122b3) to lash out in
 PICSsurc OSTuOn sCs

after 8a3Dc69 Wc2 a5(D).

5 0-0 Black's last move threatens ...De4 and forces

6 e3 White to react.

Now the 'normal'moves 6...Obd7, 6.cóand The oldest line in this position goes 10 Zdi
6..b6 have never really caught on. Most of the de7 11 d2 allowing but also forcing Black
resulting middlegane positions are regarded as (in view of the threat of 12b3) to lash out in

QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 19

flexible option which can be played with several

ideas in mind.
To begin with, it may be used as an anti-5

&f4 weapon since on 5f4Black now has the

excellent reply 5..dxc4.The white bishop finds

itself somewhat awkwardly placed after both 6
c4 Abf and 6e3Dd5,so this is usually avoided.

Against 5Âg5 Black has a choice between

transposing to the 4 g5 main lines by playing

5...2e7 or 5...h6 6h4 ke7 (althoughhe has

of course commited himself to a.Qbd7 line).
the Ragozin Variation 5..b4 (sce page 21)
by
or the Cambridge Springs by 5.c6 6 e3 as
(see page 15).
the centre with l1...e5 12 g5d4. This varia The critical test for 4..Dbd7 is 5cxd5 exdS
tion was thoroughly examined and considered 6f4.Again, as in the variation 3...e7 (sce
acceptable for both sides. page 14), because there is a drawback to the
Then, in 1988, 10 0-0-0 was introduced and natural reply ...d6 (in this case of course

this became extremely popular almost over 6.2d67Rxd6 cxd6 would beawkward) White
night. After 10...e7 both the ferocious at is hoping to achievea favourable version of the

tacking moves g4 and 11 h4 and the more

11 Exchange Variation.

subtle 11 Dd2 and11 #bl all turned out to be The whole of the 4..Dbd7 line, although it

very dangerous for Black. It took a few years, has been known for quite some time, has some
but by now Black has managed to work out how managed to stay clear of the theoretical
good defensive lines against all four of these This makes it an interesting choice
steamrollers.

moves and the Queen's Gambit Declined is for those who know their way about in the

back from the Intensive Care Unit, but it was Queen's Gambit and can hope to lure their op
mighty close! ponents into unknown territory.

3...216 4 f3 bd7 3...2f6 4 Df3 c5

9bd7 (D) 4
This is caled the Semi-Tarrasch Variation,
and it indeed bearsa close superficial relation

ship with the line 3..c5. However, the name is

at odds with the fact that Tarrasch was attracted

to his opening. the Tarrasch Defence, by the

point that Black is going to play ...exd5 if White
ever takes on d5, while in the variation that we

are discussing here. Black's aim is to avoid an

isolated that
u Pawn. Hardly a strategy
s
Tarrasch have a alone
approved of, let
given his name to! But of course chess opening
nomenclature is not always logical and this is

really a nice illustration of the fact.

However, the strategic idea behind the move
4.c5isperfectly logical and that is what counts.

This move has not yet established itself sufti Black attacks the white central formation in a
ciently to get a name, but it is a sound and very straightforward way.
 QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 21

xd4xd4 |l cxd4 brings about an endgame without hischanceseven here, these two moves

with chances for both sides. White has some have become quite fashionable e oflate.
pressure against b7, but Black's pawn-majority 6...h6 forces White to make a decision.

on the queenside may eventually turn into a Should he take on f6 or is 7Lh4 the stronger
dangerous passed pawn. move? The latter invites the sharp response
7..g58g3De4, threatening 9..Dxc3 as well
3..Df6 4 Df3 &b4 as 9...h5. White must deal firmly with this. The
pawn sacrifice 92d2!Oxc310 bxc3 &xc3 11
4 b4 Rcl offers good attacking prospects (especially
This isthe Ragozin Variation, a near rela- because 11..9xd4? fails to 12 Wa4+ Dc6 13

tive of the Nimzo-Indian (which is only one Exc6),but exactly how good remains unclear.
move away: 5 e3). Black aims for counterplay What is clear is that in practice most players
4 or dxe4. That is why White's
..De4
by ...c5, .. or ...d prefer 7 Âxf6, leading to a much more sedate
best reply is thought to be... middlegame.The main line goes 7...Wxf6 8
Cxd5 exd5 Wa4+Oc69 e3 0-0 10 Re2 e6 110-0.In com
6 Rg5 (D) parison with the Exchange Variation, Black's

pieces are rather scattered all over the board so

it may look as if White's opening play hasbeen
successful, yet a Ragozinexpert usually man

ages to recoordinate them fairly quickly.

3...2f6 4 Df3 dxc4

4 dxc4
This is one of the youngest variations of the
Queen's Gambit Declincd. It was hardly ever
played before the 1990s. Black immediately
forces his opponent to make
fundamentalde a
cision. He can win back the pawn very casily

with 5e3 or 5Wa4+ but both these moves trans

pose to another opening where White has then

Now there are two main lines for Black, 'missed' a number of options. e3 c5 6 Âxc4 5
6...Dbd7and 6...h6. a is a Queen's Gambit Accepted and 5Wa4+
Against 6...Dbd7,7e3 c5 8 hd3 constitutes c6 6 xc4 b5 is a variation of the Semi-Slav.

White's most natural development.Black then Though ncither of these lines is bad for White,
lashes out on the queenside with 8..Was 9 We2 he may not like the choice of variation that has
c4. This leads, after 10&fs 0-0 110-0Re8, to a been forced on him.
difficult position.White's ideal plan would be to The more principled continuation is:

play e4, preferably after Dd2 and f3, but prac 5 e4

tice has shown that this is hard to achieve against 6 Rg5 c5(D)
an opponent who knows what he is doing, StilL, This is called the Vienna Variation, a line

this is White's most principled approach. enjoyed a certain popularity in the 1930s,
that

Very often. however, White avoids this type wascompletely forgoten for halfacentury but
of middlegamealtogether by playing 7Hc or 7 came back with a vengeance in 1987, when it
l
c2. White plans to radically stop ...c5-c4by was rejuvenated and analysed very deeply. It is

taking on c5 should Black play ..c5. For in provocative way to handle the opening be
stance, after 7 Wc2 c5 8 dxc5 Was 9 the d2! cause at first sight White appears to have a great
game assumesa totally different character from number of very attractive possibilities. Black's
the 7 e3 line. Though Black is certainly not position turns out to be remarkably resilient,
24 FUNDAMENTAL CHESS OPENINGS

h3, g4 and perhaps g3-f5, while Black ries On the other hand 3
not bad. e3f6and only
his luckon the queenside. Boch 10..a5 fol- now 4 g3 is considered less accurate because
lowed by ...b5 and ...a4 and lo .A8followed the possibility of playing bd2 is very usefu
by ...e6, ...Zc8 and .c5 have been played. in the Catalan, so it seems rather a pity 10give i

In the late 1980s, a plan became popular away so early.

which combines the developmentof White's 3 f6
king's knight to e2 with castling kingside: 10 4 g3 (D)
0-0.Of course White the more
this still allows
traditional plan of a minority attack on the
queenside, but the modern idea is to continue
3
10..2r8 1I intending a frontal attack in the
centre with e4.Thanks to some beautiful games
by Kasparov, this line has become extremely
Play is very different from the more
traditional Exchange Variation lines discussed
above.White attacks in the centre and Black
will have to think of a completely new strategy
to adapt to the new situation. One important
motif is the counter-thrust ..c5. Some typical
problems are illustrated by the following sam
ple line: 1l1..e6 12 ael (it is still an open
question whether this rook should go to dl or

el) 12...D6d7 13 .f4 (and here it is the choice This, the basic position of the Catalan,

i:
between keeping the bishops on the board or reached via many roads. Perhaps the most com
not which leaves theoreticians baffled) 13.c8 mon one is 1 d4f62c4 e6 3 g3ds 4 r3 (e
and after 14 e4 dxe4 I5 fxe4 e5! 16 d5 c4 17 g2 isequally sound and is ikely to transpos
dxe6 Dxe6 Black regains the sacrificed piece afterjust a few
more moves).
r
t
and stands well. White should prepare e4 fur The fianchetto (meaning Aank' develop
ther by playing 14 thl. If Black then goes ment, i.e. to g2 rather than somewhere on th
14...c5 anyway, White takes on c5 and plays fl-a6 diagonai) development of the king?
against the isolated d-pawn. bishop is not intended to take immediateactior
in the cetre nor is White aiming at any particu
We have now
examined all major options for lar fixed pawn-formation. It is chosen with th

Whiteof tackling the Queen'sGambit Declined long-term strategic goal of putting pressure o1
with one exception. Technically speaking this the long hl-a8 diagonal. This pressure is mos
is an independent opening which may arise in likely to be felt when Blackplays ..c5or whe
many different ways. Still, because the basic he takes on c4 at some point. In the latter casa
central formation is the one from the Qucen's White will in many cases regain the pawn wit!
Gambit Declined, it seems to me that the best a4+,but sometimesa gambit will also be at
place for discussing this opening is in the pres interesting option. White then allows his oppo
ent chapter. nent to keep the pawn on c4, hoping to use
We are talking about the Catalan Opening. whatever means Black employs to protect hi

in which White fianchettoes his king's bishop. booty to his own advantage. This could worl
alongthe lines of: Black plays ...b5 to protec
3 f3:The Catalan his pawn on c4, White attacks b5 with a4, Blacl
covers b5 with ...c6, White intensifies the pres
3 3 sure with es, Black blocks the hl-a8 diagona

This is the most popular way of introducing with ..Dd5,White attacks in the centre with e
the Catalan, although an immediate3g3 is also and possibly ds
 Then there is the alternative 7xC4, seem
ingly simple and strong. White makes no im
mediate attempt o crush his opponent and &g5
instead relies on his lead in development togive The best move and one of the reasons why
him the initiative. Yet here too, things have this particular move-order constitutes the most
turned out to be not thatsimple. The critical po accurate way of playing the Exchange Varia

sition arises after 7...cxd4 8Dxd4 &xc3+9 tion. If White plays an carly D3 he is normally

bxc3 Wa5, when White has tried 10 b5, 10 unable to stop Black from playing ..af5, which
Rxf6 xc3+ 11 (the idea fl being to meet practically solves all development problems
11...Wxc4+ 12 gl gxf6? with 13 cl),and 10 Black may have in this line. For instance in the
b5+. Years of intensive research have not 5r3có, which often arises from
position after

produced a clear main line. the Semi-Slav (1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 013 f6 4

Dc3 eb and now 5cxd5 exd5), Black's opening
3...216 4 cxd5 problems are nowhere near to what he isfacing

in the main line: 6 g5 e7 (an immediate

4 cxd5 6.25 is also possible but leads to a more
This is the Exchange Variation or, perhaps complicated middlegama far sha dieruptive

more accurately. the most important version of Wb3) and now e3 7

White can take on d5 in many positions of 5 .. 23/480
it.
the Queen's Gambit Declined. By choosing this The alternative 5... Aspo
particular move-order, however, he optimizes after a few moves, but the text offers Black one
the latent advantages of this exchange. or two interesting cxtras.

QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 23

6 11Eabl followed by b4-b5xc6. White creates a

Preventing 6..25. For a long time the more weakness in Black's pawn-structure (if all goes
natural 6 e3 was also regarded as at least according to plan there will be a loose pawn ei
dis
couraging this move, but it appears that then ther on c6 or on d5) which will be the object of

6..2f5 7We3 (or 7 Wb3 Wb6) 7..Ag6 8 Axf6 further attacks. Black may try to stop this plan

Wxf6 9 Wxf6 gxf6 is quite playable for Black but he will eventually have to look for coun
even though this may look a bit coarse. The de- terplay on the kingside. A possible continua
terioration of Black's pawn-formation on the tion is 11.a5 12 a3 g6 13 b4 axb4 14 axb4
kingside is compensated by active piece-play. De4. Play may look a littleslow in this line but

can actually become rather violent in the

it
bd7 middlegame, especially when Black gets going
0-0 on the kingside.
This has been the main line for ages, but an This is much more obvious if White decides

important alternative has recently come to the to castle queenside, 10 0-0-0. Now will be
it
fore which probably just as good: 8..hs. White who attacks on the kingside (10..5f8 11
is
Black deflates the tension on the kingside even h3 to be followed by g4)
before White has shown any signs of aggression The same plan is often executed in a slightly

there. After 9 xe7xe7 and now, for instance, different version, starting with 9 Oge2 (D).
10 Dge2 Black continues 10.g6, intending

..Dg7,..2b6 and ..5.He also retains the op

tion of casthng either side, the idea being to wait

for White to and then go the same way.

castle
It isdifficult tosay whether thisis better than

8..0-0, but there is certainly far less theory to

be studied.

After 8..0-0 White has to choose a plan. For

most players this will be a matter of taste

be
cause the following variations differ consider

ably in their respective characters,

The classical method to play 9r3 and, W
is
after Black's standard reply 9.e8, simply to

castle kingside: 10 0-0 (D).

White then has several ways to implement the

typical plan of a minority attack on the queen After9...e& 10 0-0-0 the general outdook is
side, the most straightforward being 10..Af8 the same: White attacks on the kingside with

24 FUNDAMENTAL CHESS OPENINGS

h3, g4 and perhaps g3-f5, while Black ries not bad. On the other hand 3c3f6and only

his luck on the queenside. Both 10...a5 fol now 4 g3 is considered less accurate because

lowed by ...b5 and ...a4and 10...f8 followed the possibility of playing bd2 is very usefu

by ..Le6, ..Lc8 and ..c5 have been played. in the Catalan, so it seems rather a pity to give
i
In the late1980s, a plan became popular away so early.
which combines the development of White's 3 Af6
king's knight to e2 with castling kingside: 10 4 g3 (D)
otL
etill