Openings 1.d4 d5: closed games
Queen’s Gambit: How to Play It as White, with Stats by Rating
2.c4 offers a pawn to pull Black’s d-pawn away from the center. It is not a real gambit: if Black takes, White usually wins the pawn back. The question is what kind of center Black chooses.
D06Queen's Gambit
Games from this position (1600–1999): 280k
- 1.
- 2.
| Move | Played | Games | White · Draw · Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29% | 80k | ||
| 22% | 62k | ||
| 19% | 53k | ||
| 16% | 44k | ||
| 4% | 12k | ||
| 4% | 12k | ||
| 3% | 8,105 | ||
| 2% | 5,959 |
Plans for both sides
White
- Against 2...e6 (Declined), develop with Nc3, Bg5, e3 and Nf3; the minority attack b4–b5 is a classic plan.
- Against 2...dxc4 (Accepted), play e3 or e4 and take the pawn back with the bishop.
- Against 2...c6 (Slav), Nf3, Nc3 and e3; the fight is about the c8 bishop.
Black
- 2...e6 and 2...c6 keep the center solid; 2...dxc4 gives it up for free development.
- The Albin Countergambit (2...e5) and Chigorin (2...Nc6) are sharp surprise weapons.
- Whatever you choose, ...c5 or ...e5 are the freeing breaks.
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Queen’s Gambit at each rating
How often the position after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.
| Rating | Games (Share of games) | White · Draw · Black | Top next move |
|---|---|---|---|
| <1200 | 74k2.5% | 2...dxc442% | |
| 1200–1599 | 215k3.6% | 2...dxc431% | |
| 1600–1999 | 280k4.4% | 2...e629% | |
| 2000+ | 92k4.5% | 2...e641% | |
| All | 661k3.8% | 2...e627% |
What usually comes next
The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.
Main variations
Classical development. White often plays the minority attack later.
7,833 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 49%, 6% were drawn, Black won 44%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3White simply takes back the pawn with a nice center.
9,361 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 54%, 4% were drawn, Black won 41%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bxc4Black keeps the c8 bishop free. Main lines go ...dxc4 and ...Bf5.
44k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 51%, 6% were drawn, Black won 44%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3Black gives a pawn for a cramping pawn on d4. Know the Lasker trap (...Bb4+ and exf2).
11k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 49%, 4% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4
Common traps
Albin: the Lasker trap
In the Albin Countergambit, 4.e3? is a natural mistake. After 4...Bb4+ 5.Bd2 dxe3! 6.Bxb4 exf2+ 7.Ke2 fxg1=N+ Black promotes to a knight with check and wins. Play 4.Nf3 instead.
In our data, the last move of this line was played in 82 games.
Show on the board: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.e3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 dxe3 6.Bxb4 exf2+ 7.Ke2 fxg1=N+Advertisement
At club level
Below 1600, 2...dxc4 is actually the most common answer to the Queen’s Gambit, and many players follow it with ...b5 to hold the pawn. That does not work; see the trap on the Accepted page.
Practice it
The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.
Related openings
- Queen’s Pawn Game: 1.d4 d5
1.d4 d5
- London System
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4
- Queen’s Gambit Declined
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6
- Slav and Semi-Slav
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6
- Queen’s Gambit Accepted
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4
- Colle System
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3