Queen's Gambit Accepted

I was wondering what other people's strategies are for white in the following opening variation of the Queen's Gambit Accepted:

There is a common trap that quite a few people fall for and it doesn't hold back your development, so it can be tried safely even if the person doesn't fall for it. 

After b4, you can play a4. If black wants to hold on to the pawn using c6 (a6 doesn't do as the rook would be under attack after aXb5), you can simply go ahead and capture - axb6, cxb6 Qe3, winning a minor piece/rook.

Be6 to protect the pawn is bad as well because it hampers development and it is easy to push the d pawn to d5. e.g. after playing Nc3, you can go ahead and play d5.

I thought that after 3. e3 Black was to play e5, since capturing leads to an early Queen Exchange and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............

This is why 3. Nf3 has been the main move for over a century.

Ah, novelties!

And one of the main lines against this is 3...e5

Back in the early 80s I tried to change from 1 e4 to 1 d4. When someone played a QGA, I played 3. e4 and was called the worlds biggest idiot...and that was from my friends! It seems like a natural move, though the 3. Nf3 has its own rationale as well. Chess opening theory seems as driven by fads and trends as much as by how sensible a move is on its own merits. All you need is for a World Championship contender to pick up the opening in a big tournament and then everyone will be playing it.

This is very helpful.  Too many times have I been run over by white because of my lack of knowledge. Thanks.

i love gambit queennn

QGA is a very good opening. normally, aggressive e4 is played by white in move 3 &  aroyal fight ensues in the center !

So in short guys, It is better to decline the offered gambit.

In my personal experiance when I am playing black, I like to decline the queens gambit and accept the kings gambit. I don't know if it is "better" but I seem to play better that way.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 and now 3...Be6!? is interesting and played even at Grandmaster level tough surely not the strongest "orthodox" replay by Black.

Yes! I am all about 3. e4

If anyone is interested 3. e4 repetoire of the QGA, I found Chris Ward's book Play the Queen's Gambit simply awesome.  It does'nt cover anything outside of QGA, QGD, Slav and Semi-Slav however.

testing

That was the idea, until it was found (in the 90s, I think?) that White has a perfectly good IQP position in case of 3.e3 e5 4.Bxc4 exd4 5.exd4.

Nowadays 3.e3 is an important move order that usually leads to the same main lines as 3.Nf3, while avoiding some side lines like 3.Nf3 a6.