Nice article but where di u get the info from? I can recognize some WIKIPEDIA info here...
1. d4 d5 2. c4 -A breakdown for Black
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Yeah, some of the background is Wiki. The stats are from my Ref DB, and the rest of the suggestions and such are mine. I really just wanted an organized description to work off of. I am now looking into the top three openings. I will run opening reports for them when I get a chance.
@5
White can continue either 3 Nf3, or 3 e4, or 3 e3, or 3 Nc3.
@1
Only 2...e6, 2...c6, or 2...dxc4 are sound.
2...Nc6, 2...Nf6, 2...e5, 2...Bf5, 2...c5 are dubious.
Aug 11, 2024
0
#8
indeed. I'm genuinely curious, @Ewing what the heck do you mean by that?
c6, e6, dxc4, Bf5, and c5 are all sound and while some aren't the best they are still sound. e5, Nc6, b5, and most other moves are dubious.
Actually c5 isn't sound, Nc6 is. Nf6 is not sound.
Feb 6, 2025
0
#11
dxc4, e6 and c6 are the top moves
the symmetrical defense is actually not that terrible, the albin countergambit is borderline playable. Chigorin is theoretically in trouble after 3.nc3 with the critical positions being real borderline for black. The baltic is also there somewhere between dubious and terrible (the best line sacs the a pawn for massive development)
the marshall defense prob belongs above but because but its usually dismissed because its just an inferior version of other defenses. kind of like a bad grunfeld.
there is also stuff like 2.g6 which is winging it like the marshall which is actually not too terrible but a bit dubious.
the rest arent worth discussing
In my database I have 200,947 games From the Queens Gambit. At some point in time all the great players have used the Queens Gambit, and at other times they have had to face this formidable opening for white.
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 your choices are (in order of Popularity)
2...e6 This is the Main line of Queens Gambit Declined (the Orthodox Defense). In its broadest sense the Queen's Gambit Declined is any variation of the Queen's Gambit chess opening where Black does not take the Queen's Gambit pawn. Other variations where Black does not take the pawn on c4 have their own names. This section comprises 88,531 games in which white scores a healthy 58.3%
2...c6 The Slav Defense is one of the primary defenses to the Queen's Gambit. Although it was analyzed as early as 1590, it wasn't until the 1920s that it started to be explored extensively. Many masters of Slavic descent helped develop the theory of this opening, including Alapin, Alekhine, Bogoljubov, and Vidmar. This defense was particularly favored by Euwe, Botvinnik, and Smyslov. More recently the Slav has been adopted by Anand, Kasparov, Ivanchuk, Lautier, Short, and other top grandmasters. White scores 57.5% out of 70,921 games
2...dxc4 The Queens Gambit accepted is a line also played by GMs. Most noteable are Kasparov, Fischer, Anand and Ivanchuk. Out of 23,959 games white scores 58%. Also it should be noted that this is not a true gambit, because white can recover the pawn by force.
2...Nc6 The Chigorin Defense(Chigorin has another important opening named for him that is also sometimes called the Chigorin Defense. The Chigorin Variation is a popular defense to the Ruy Lopez. The Chigorin Defense has the ECO classification D07. Because the Chigorin is an unusual defense, theory of this opening is not as well developed as that for more popular openings. In my DB Whates most common reply to this defense is Nf3. This defense accounts for 4,628 games in which White scores 72.4%
2...Nf6 The Marshall Defense Is regaurded as a "Dubious" reply. White should then gladly exchange the flank pawn for blacks center pawn. Recapturing with the knight is a bad idae because it leads to stronger development for white after 4. Nc3 e6 5. e5 There are only a little over 6,000 games in my DB, But White scores above 60% with Most of their next moves.
2... e5 The Albin Counter gambit has 4,099 entries in which white scores 56.9%. The usual continuation is 3.dxe5 d4, where in exchange for the gambit pawn Black has a central wedge at d4 and gets some chances for an attack. Often White will try to return the pawn at an appropriate moment in order to gain a positional advantage. This counter gambit is rarely seen at master level anymore.
2...Bb5 The Baltic Defense
(The similarly-named Baltic Opening is a different opening played by White that begins 1. Nc3.)
The Baltic is an unusual variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. It has not found widespread acceptance among chess masters, but some world-class players have used it including grandmasters Paul Keres and Alexei Shirov.
In most defenses to the Queen's Gambit Declined, Black has difficulties developing his queen bishop. This opening takes a radical approach to the problem by bringing out the queen bishop immediately.
2...c5 The Symmetrical Defense is the least common response in the database that we will cover. With 449 games White scores over 60%. The Symmetrical Defense is an uncommon variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. It poses the purest test of Queen's Gambit theory—whether Black can equalize by simply copying White's moves. Most opening theoreticians believe that White should gain the advantage and that at best Black is playing for a draw.
White often replies 3.cxd5, but other moves are playable and may lead to transpositions into more well-known variations such as the Queen's Gambit Accepted and the Tarrasch Defense. After 3.cxd5 it is not advisable for Black to play 3...Qxd5, because 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nc3 Qa5 6.Nxd4 or 5...Qd8 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 gives White a big lead in development. Instead Black should play 3...Nf6 intending to recapture on d5 with his knight. White should be able to maintain the advantage with either 4.Nf3 or 4.e4. Possible continuations are 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nxd5 6.e4 Nc7 or 4.e4 Nxe4 5.dxc5 Nxc5 6.Nc3 e6.
As you can see it is important to understand the theory behind the opening you choose. Each strategy has its pitfalls, but only the first 3 really do black justice.