How you play the Queens gambit declined

Starting Out: Queen's Gambit Declined by Neil McDonald (2006)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627005627/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen93.pdf

might serve as a general introduction. We have often seen recommendation of the somewhat older book, Queen's Gambit Declined by Matthew Sadler (2000).

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708234438/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen15.txt

A few years ago, there were a number of books with advice for White:

A Strategic Chess Opening Repertoire for White by IM John Watson (2012),

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627105428/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen161.pdf

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/A_Strategic_Chess_Opening_Repertoire_for_White.pdf

Playing 1.d4: The Queen's Gambit by Lars Schandorff (2012),

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626221508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen162.pdf

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/Playing1d4QueensGambitexcerpt.pdf

The Kaufman Repertoire for Black & White by GM Larry Kaufman (2012),

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626221508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen162.pdf

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/955.pdf

A practical repertoire with 1.d4 and 2.c4 Volume 1 by Alexei Kornev,

http://reviews.dailychess.org/a-practical-repertoire-with-1-d4-and-2-c4-the-complete-queens-gambit-volume-1-by-alexei-kornev-chess-stars-2013-304-pages/

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7288.pdf

and A Cunning Chess Opening Repertoire for White by Graham Burgess (2013).

http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-110-repertoires-in-the-age-of-carlsen

http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/A_Cunning_Chess_Opening_Repertoire_for_White.pdf

I think Watson, Schandorff, Kornev, and Kaufman advocated 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 cxd5 exd5 5 Bg5, while Burgess advocated 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 c4 e6 4 Nc3 Be7 5 Bf4.

If the Catalan is your interest, perhaps the most recent book help is to be found in Grandmaster Repertoire 1A - The Catalan by Boris Avrukh

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/GM1A-Catalan-excerpt.pdf

and Grandmaster Repertoire 1B - The Queen's Gambit by Boris Avrukh.

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/1BTheQueensGambit-excerpt.pdf

Not sure what the focus is for the 2016 book, The Queen's Gambit by Damian Lemos.

Advice for Black can be found in Declining the Queen's Gambit by John Cox (2011).

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626233841/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen149.pdf

thanks

D4 d5 c4 e6

Wasn't that written about a quarter of a century ago?

"My System" was written nearly 100 years ago (some chapters published in brochure form in 1925), but it remains one of the best chess books you could buy.

Yeah, but My System wasn't a book about an opening. And, even with that, it is said that some of it has not stood the test of time.

http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-108-of-eplus-books-part-2-nimzowitsch-classics

Pfren and many other masters have already said that you need to take the good stuff from the book and let the bad one. That doesnt mean it is not a masterpiece.

If you want a MASTERPIECE, try "Pawn Power in Chess" by Kmoch.

You'll need to learn a new language - Kmochese - to read it, though.

My system is still a master piece tho.

Why should I get Kmoch's book and not Solti's one?

Kmoch was crazier than Soltis.

I own both. Kmoch's book is more theoretical (and therefore much broader in scope). Soltis' book is more practical (and better rooted in reality)... but he isn't half the madman that Kmoch was.

Sanity is somewhat over-rated, IMO.

I wouldn't tell people to not read it, but I do think it is appropriate to provide a warning about that test-of-time thing, and also to mention that, as with many books, it may not be the right thing for a player to read right away.

"Just because a book contains lots of information that you don’t know, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be extremely helpful in making you better at this point in your chess development." - Dan Heisman (2001)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140328223422/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman06.pdf

So, should I buy Solti's ones? Or be a cool old school guy even tho Im 10 and read Kmoch's one?

"... Those looking for a comprehensive textbook style coverage of pawn structures should consider purchasing [Understanding Pawn Play in Chess by GM Marovic]. ... Coverage within the 7 chapters is comprehensive on practical topics of interest to all aspiring chess players. Marovic’s book compares favorably with its predecessors. For example, Hans Kmoch’s Pawn Power in Chess is considered a classic by many. Nonetheless,most people found it daunting and confusing, given its weird terminology. Also the scope the book was more theoretical than practical; not an easy book to read and study with. Grandmaster Andrew Soltis wrote Pawn Structure Chess, but its general focus was upon specific pawn formations evolving from various openings. The result is that one generally learns more about opening theory than about pawn structures. Both books must be frustrating to read and study from for those rated below 1700. ..." - Stephen Ham (2000)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708110136/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review249.pdf

"... [Pawn Power in Chess] should be on everyone's list [of favourites]. ..." - GM Nigel Davies (2010)

"... I found Pawn Structure Chess to be wonderfully illuminating. ..." - Steve Goldberg (2013)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101523/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review908.pdf

Lasker's defense is probaly the "easiest" to play. The Ragozin is really complicated and you probably have to play more pawn structures than you would get than if you played something already difficult like the Tartakower.

I bought both.

The Soltis book is very good, and well worth reading, but the Kmoch book is a work of genius.

Ok, thanks for the advice. If I ever win an important tournament Ill give a shoutout to the insane cartoon animator guy with an ostrich as profile pic!

That isn't a problem.  Recently published books often show variations that make no sense if you do not know the history of an opening, but they sometimes do not provide that history.  I have found a good way to study an opening is to start by looking in a database or anthology at very early games by old masters (they can be as long ago as the 1800s in some cases), then to look at a "classic" book on the opening from the 1960s 70s or 80s, then to study an up-to-date monograph, and finally to see what is happening in current GM and IM games.

Yes. A short "History of the State of the Art" lesson is a good introduction to any opening.

https://www.amazon.com/Queens-Gambit-Declined-Matthew-Sadler/dp/1857442563

Published almost 17 years ago. Still the best learning tool for the Queen's gambit declined by a long shot, as well as one of the 3-4 best openings' books ever written.

The author is honest enough to credit the late Mark Dvoretsky with the minority attack part of the book (which is absolutely top notch).

Thank you very much for the recommendation. The Queen's gambit declined is the only opening I play with both colours. And the Carlsbad the only variation. I'm very interested in learning how to deal with the minority attack as black.