ForumPosition SearchText SearchMy ProfileRepertoireSite InfoGuests InfoHelpLinks
The line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 has been covered here previously, but some new developments mean it’s time for an update. Perhaps I should stress that it will normally arise via a 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 move order, and represents a pugnacious approach for Black that has been favoured by Grandmasters Parham Maghsoodloo, Igor Kovalenko, Alan Pichot together with the brilliant young star Faustino Oro.

Download PGN of January ’26 1 d4 d5 2 c4 games

>> Previous Update >>


Queen’s Gambit 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 [D24]

The exciting new development of this line comes after 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nxb5 Nb6 8.Be2 Nc6 9.0-0 and now 9...Bb7:

The idea of this move is to give Black extra options against the Ding Lirin plan of Qd2-f4, which has become quite a popular and dangerous approach against 9...Be7 (Navarra, D - Maghsoodloo, P is a recent example). Before moving the f8 bishop, and undefending the g7 pawn, Black has other moves such as ...Qd8-d7 and ...Nc6-b4/e7. He might even bring the f8 bishop out to b4.

The games Chasin, N - Pichot, A and Barbosa, O - Chirilov, J demonstrate some of Black’s possibilities if White pursues the Ding plan after 9...Bb7.

One of the drawbacks of 9...Bb7 is that in the standard line of 10.Be3 Be7 11.Nc3 0-0, Black has committed himself to playing ...Bb7 when after 9...Be7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Nc3 the move 11...Rb8:

has been more popular and effective (see Sarana, A - Xiong, J).

Playing 11...Bb7 instead:

is probably OK for Black anyway (see Murawski, J - Radzimski, A) but it’s by no means Black’s only option.

In Van Wely, L - Kovalenko, I Black kept the play along original lines with 10.Be3 Qd7:

setting new problems for White which saw Black win a fine game.

Bournel, A - Lamard, G, showed similar play after 10.a3, Black then repositioning his c6 knight to e7. It seems that these less standard approaches are gaining traction.

The final game, Quintiliano Pinto, R - Di Berardino, D, features a completely different approach by White of 6.Nxb5, leading to more technical positions than 6.e5.

This has been played by Magnus Carlsen, so for that reason alone deserves serious attention. Black seems to be fine but he needs to know what he’s doing.

This line remains an interesting option for Black because it leads to such rich and fighting positions. As with all the Nf3 Queen’s Gambits, it also means you don’t have particular move order issues after 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3, you can simply play 3...d5.



See you next month! Nigel Davies

>> Previous Update >>

If you have any questions, then please post a message at the 1 d4 d5 Forum, or subscribers can email support@chesspublishing.com.