How to Play The Queen's Gambit Declined

Garry Kasparov once described the Orthodox Queen’s Gambit Declined as ‘The opening of the world championship matches’ - a solid opening for Black that has remained unbreakable for generations.

But there are many more ways to decline the Queen’s Gambit than the main Orthodox Defense. In fact, many variations score a higher percentage at amateur level than the classical lines.

Here, we’ll explore the traditional way to play the Queen’s Gambit Declined before revealing some surprising lines that boast stunning statistics and put Black in control.

The Queen’s Gambit Declined: Orthodox Variation and The Rest

When the Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD) is mentioned, people usually think of the Orthodox Defense (aka. Orthodox Variation, Orthodox Line, etc.). But the term can also refer to any opening that doesn’t immediately capture White’s c4 pawn.

Here are the various ways that Black may decline White’s gambit:

• 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 – The Queen’s Gambit Declined Orthodox Defense
• 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 – Slav Defense
• 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 and eventual ...c6 – Semi-Slav Defense
• 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 – Marshall Defense
• 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 – Albin Countergambit
• 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 – Chigorin Defense

Queen’s Gambit Declined Statistics

Online databases of billions of games such as lichess.com have enabled us to discover the highest-scoring opening moves at both master level and amateur level.

Statistics of online games are especially helpful for most chess players since they indicate the best moves for players at club level (the average rating for players on lichess.com is around 1700 elo).

In this article, we’ll be using these stats to pick out the highest scoring lines for Black at various stages of the Queen’s Gambit Declined.

Black’s Move 2 in the Queen’s Gambit in Percentage

The following table shows Black responses to the Queen’s Gambit across more than 243 million online games played on lichess.com. These statistics include games played at every level, as well as every time control.

Move 2…	Percentage Played	Points Won Per 100 Games
e6	27	46
dxc4	23	43
c6	20	46.5
Nf6	16	45
e5	4	48
Nc6	4	45
Bf5	3	45.5
c5	2	46

Analysis

Played in 27% of all games, the Orthodox Queen’s Gambit Declined (2...e6) is Black's most frequently played response. Notice how the opening offers Black a significantly higher average score than the second-most commonly played response, the Queen’s Gambit Accepted (dxc4).

Indeed, the Orthodox Defense comes out scoring a respectable average of 46 points per 100 games - a similar standing to the QGD’s cousin, the Slav Defense (2...c6).

Perhaps the most surprising revelation of the data is that the highest-scoring response is the rarely played Albin Countergambit (2...e5). We’ll be discussing this variation, as well as other high-scoring surprises later on.

Key Themes of the Queen’s Gambit Declined Orthodox Defense

Black Rejects White’s Pseudo Sacrifice

The Queen’s Gambit is a misleading name. While Black is free to capture White’s c4 pawn without immediate recapture, the pawn advantage is difficult to defend.

Instead, Black backs up its d5 pawn by playing 2...e6. If White chooses to exchange pawns, Black will maintain a central pawn, challenging White for control of the center.

Quick Development on the Kingside and Castling

One of the advantages of the QGD is that it allows Black to quickly develop its kingside knight and bishop, thereby allowing castling on move five or soon after.

Castling quickly moves the king to safety and allows the rook to move into the influential e-file early on in the game.

Black Develops One Bishop at the Expense of the Other

By playing 2...e6, Black opens up its dark-squared bishop, but the move also blocks in its light-squared bishop. If White chooses not to exchange pawns, the light-squared Bishop can remain awkward to develop.

Eventually, resorting to ...b6 to fianchetto is sometimes Black’s only answer, but the piece may still lack scope and remain passive for a long while. White may aim to profit from this weakness, while Black may attempt to trade it to gain an advantage.

Orthodox Defense Main Lines

After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6, White’s most common move is 3.Nc3. Countering this, Black usually plays 3...Nf6, challenging White’s bid to control e4 and d5.

White now has several choices, meaning this is a rather complex opening for Black to learn.

Let’s take a look at the most classic line. White plays 4.Bg5, pinning Black’s kingside knight to its queen.

Bg5 -The Queen’s Gambit Declined Orthodox Main Line

After White plays 4.Bg5, 57% of Black players follow with the main line: 4...Be7. From here, both sides follow certain themes but can elect in which order to play them. Black’s main plan is to castle, kick White’s bishop with ...h6, and fianchetto its light-squared bishop.

Eventually, White will usually swap pawns on d4. After the exchange, White’s advantage is marginal, but statistically significant nonetheless.

A typical line would be 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 b6 8. Be2 Bb7 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. cxd5 exd5, leaving the game looking like this:

Better Variations for Black at Club Level

While classic lines like the one above may be the most technically solid that Black can play, there are exciting alternatives that put Black in the driving seat and are statistically more successful for amateur players!

By playing unusual variations as Black, you’re likely to know the opening better than your opponent and can catch them off guard. You’ll also be able to bypass lots of opening theory, such as how to counter the Exchange Variation (4.cxd5), the Three Knights Variation (4.Nf3), and so on.

Let’s take a look at some of the best lines for Black at various stages of the opening.

Taking Control on Move 4: The Cambridge Springs Defense 4...Nbd7

Instead of following 4.Bg5 with 4...Be7, Black has another option that statistically yields better results. In millions of online games, 4...Nbd7 - the Cambridge Springs Defense - lands Black an impressive average of 49.5 points per 100, compared with 47.5% after playing 4...Be7.

The main line of the Cambridge Springs Defense follows 4...Nbd7 5.Nf3 c6 6.e3 Qa5. While this opening is already strong for Black, playing 4...Nbd7 may also coax White into a dastardly trap! If White instead prefers to exchange pawns on d5 (5.cxd5 exd5), it must be careful not to continue with 6.Nxd5?? Now, Black will baffle White by capturing with its pinned knight.

White’s bishop charges in to take the queen, only to be hit back by 7...Bb4+. To White’s horror, its only piece to cover its king is its own queen. After the exchange, both sides are queenless, but Black enters the end game a minor piece ahead!

Taking Control on Move 3: The Dutch Stonewall Defense 3...f5

A rarely discussed variation for Black in the Queen’s Gambit Declined is one that scores Black a majority at club level. After the usual 1.d4 d5 2.d4 e6 3.Nf3, Black swerves off-piste by transposing into the Stonewall Dutch Defense: 3...f5.

Remember that much of chess theory revolves around the master-level game. Indeed, at that level, 3...f5 scores poorly. Chess engines also don’t recommend it. In amateur chess, however, it scores more highly than any other on move three!

Despite only being played in 2% of games, 3...f5 scores a remarkable average of 50.5 points per 100 games for Black across more than one million games. The lichess.com database also reveals that this isn't a beginner's line. With an average rating of 1985, those playing 3...f5 have a higher than any other move!

The Stonewall Dutch Defense in the Queen’s Gambit Declined

The Stonewall Dutch is not so much an opening, but a setup for Black that can be reached through many lines. The defining theme is posting central pawns on the light squares of f5, e6, d5, and c6.

After 3...f5, Black will normally achieve this by playing ...Nf3 and ...c6 on the next two moves. Bd6 and castling kingside normally follow soon after. Black now has a strong hold on e4 and a solid pawn structure that can frustrate White’s usual plans.

Aggressive attacks on White’s kingside with Black’s queen and rook may follow. You can learn more about the Stonewall Dutch Defense in a dedicated article here.

Taking Control on Move 2: The Albin Countergambit

On move two, one of Black’s immediate answers to the Queen’s Gambit is statistically stronger than all the rest. By playing 2...e5, Black initiates the Albin Countergambit, an extremely aggressive opening where White must know the field to avoid some dangerous traps!

After White captures (3.dxe5), Black pushes its pawn up to d5. Of nearly 4 million games, Black scores 49.5 points from 100 after this move:

Tricks and Traps

Despite being a pawn up, Black’s stubborn pawn on d4 becomes a thorn in White’s side. The usual attempt to dislodge it with e6 can be extremely dangerous, especially when played immediately. Enter the Lasker Trap in which Black underpromotes a pawn into a knight and wins a queen!: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. e3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 dxe3 6. Bxb4 exf2+ 7. Ke2 fxg1=N+ 8. Rxg1 Bg4+

Even if White plays e6 later on, ...Bb4+ can still prove troublesome, for example: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. e3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 dxe3 7. Bxb4 exf2+ 8. Ke2 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Nxb4

Other Variations for Black

The Slav Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6

The Slav Defense is the Orthodox Defense’s main competitor for the most popular way to decline the Queen’s Gambit. Instead of bolstering the d5 pawn with 2...e6, Black counters with 2...c6.

Instead of trying to describe this extremely dynamic opening in more detail here, we’ll point you towards a helpful exploration here.

The Chigorin Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6

If the solid, yet rather passive approach of the Queen’s Gambit Declined or Slav Defense sounds dull to you, you might be interested in learning the Chigorin Defense.

By playing 2...Nc6, Black foregoes many classical principles associated with other QGD variations: The d5 pawn remains undefended and the c-pawn is blocked from advancing. In exchange, Black earns quick development, mounting piece pressure on the center.

While rarely played even in amateur chess, the Chigorin Defense is considered playable at master level. Indeed, two-time Russian chess champion Alexander Morozevich regularly plays it in competitive matches to this day.

The Marshall Defense

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6

Another rarely played variation is the Marshall Defense. Instead of defending d5 with a pawn, Black seemingly protects it with its kingside knight.

But if White captures the pawn, neither recapturing with the knight or queen make promising options. 3...Nxd5 invites White to play e4 and 3...Qxd4 begs for Nc3 - both of which gain White a tempo.

Instead, Black may opt to play 3...c6, exchanging another pawn in return for superior development. Afterward, ...e5 can threaten to clear the d-file and a queen swap that prevents White from castling.

Conclusion

Declining the Queen’s Gambit is advisable at every level of chess, but there are many other effective ways to do so besides the Orthodox Defense, especially at club level.

If you’d like to put yourself into the driving seat with Black, then the Cambridge Springs Variation, Dutch Stonewall, and Albin Countergambit are all excellent ways to hit White with dangerous lines that your opponent is less likely to know.