Queen's Gambit Declined
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| Moves | 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | D30–D69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Queen's Gambit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonym | QGD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Queen's Gambit Declined (or QGD) is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit:
This is known as the Orthodox Line of the Queen's Gambit Declined. When the "Queen's Gambit Declined" is mentioned, it is usually assumed to be referring to the Orthodox Line; see "Other second moves for Black" below for other moves.
The most common continuation is 3.Nc3 Nf6 (covered by ECO codes D35–D69), after which White may continue with 4.Bg5, leading to the traditional line, 4.cxd5, the Exchange Variation, and 4.Nf3, the Three Knights Variation.
The Orthodox Line can be reached by a number of different move orders, such as 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 (avoiding the Nimzo-Indian Defense) d5; 1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5; 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4; 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4; and so on. Of the 34 games played in the 1927 World Championship between Alexander Alekhine and José Raúl Capablanca, all except the first and third began with the Queen's Gambit Declined.