A Complete Guide to Queens Gambit Play

Three classic titles from the Everyman Chess Starting Out Series in one volume.

Starting Out: Queens Gambit Accepted by Alexander Raetsky and Maxim Chetverik

Starting Out: Queens Gambit Declined by Neil McDonald

Starting: Slav Semi Slav by Glenn Flear

The Queens Gambit Accepted (QGA) is Blacks simplest way of dealing with one of Whites most fashionable openings, the Queens Gambit. Black grabs the gambit pawn and thus refuses to succumb to the passive positions so typical of the Queens Gambit Declined. This direct and uncompromising way of playing gives rise to dynamic positions where both sides have excellent chances to play for the win. Its no surprise that the QGA has attracted many high-class advocates, including Garry Kasparov and Vishy Anand.

The Queens Gambit Declined is an opening of great historical importance and Blacks fundamental answer to 1 d4. From the very first move Black obtains a firm foothold in the centre, something that White finds extremely hard to undermine. Indeed, Black often bases his entire strategy around this control. The soundness of the Queens Gambit Declined has never been in question, and its supporters at the highest level include a long list of Grandmasters headed by Kasparov, Kramnik, Karpov and Short, as well as many World Champions from the past.

The very closely linked Slav and Semi-Slav Defences are two of the most popular and combative openings that Black can play against the Queens Gambit. They have provided the battleground for thousands of exciting encounters between the worlds chess elite, including Garry Kasparov, Vishy Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Alexei Shirov and Alexander Morozevich. Players of all levels are attracted to the Slav and the Semi-Slav because they are solid, dependable defences that do, however, promise abundant possibilities for dynamic counterplay.