I would like to enquire about the best course of action for white on the following board:



EDIT: Sorry, was posting the board from memory and didn't quite remember black's last move. It was Nbd7.

I'm a poker player who recently turned his attention to chess (definitely far more challenging), so I'd rate myself as a beginner. I've been tentatively trying to develop my opening for QGD, but I've found that I kind of go all over the place after getting this far. Any recommendations on how to develop from here would be greatly appreciated.

It''s black's move.

That being said, after c6 or Nbd7, then Bd3, Qd2, and Rc1 are all reasonable moves.

You should play through a bunch of QGD games from the first half of last centure (Steinitz, Lasker, Tarrasch) to get an idea for how things can go from here. Me telling you what move to play - or even what three moves to play - won't help you as much as that.

Two things.

1. I don't play the QGD, so I don't know the book theory, but my instinct looking at that diagram is for white to play Bd3 (aiming at h7), then 0-0. Be2 might be OK also, if a little less aggressive than Bd3. The point is get your pieces off the back row and connect your rooks. Wait to see where your opponent moves before deciding where to put the queen, though c2 looks like a decent spot for it at first glance.

2. If you're a beginner, I'd recommend switching to 1. e4 instead of playing the Queen's Gambit. Go for open games with lots of tactical and attacking possibilities. You'll either learn tactics or die trying. Check out my response to this thread for more detail on why I say that: Van Geet Opening, 1. Nc3

--Fromper

What we have here is known as the Orthodox Defense: Main Variation.
Allied variations are the Catalan by transposition.
Lasker's Defense, or Tartakower's Variation. All not discussed here.
The Main Variation was popular in the 1930's.
Choice Moves:
7. Rc1 or Qc2, and B-d3. Fine dismisses other moves.
The following is from PCO:
7. R-C1 (Mentally I have to convert English notation to Algebraic).
"The backbone of the Alekhine-Capablanca Match 1927.
(Chessgames.com should have the games)-my comment.
7. R-C1 prevents Black from playing C5. White gets a freer game.
Black plays 7-;C6. (b6 and others appear to be weak).
White has 4 replies on move 8. Bd3, Qc2, a3, or cd5.
8. Bd3 is met by Capablanca's freeing move dc4, and 9. Nd5.
8. Qc2 was abandoned due to Black's Ne4.
8. a3 is playable.
8. cd5 (The Exchange Variation) is a good alternative.
Move 7 lines:
Flohr used to play 7. Qc2 but Black has a reply c5.
7. Bd3 is best met by d5:c4 with easy equality.
(My comment would be a loss of tempo for White).
The best way to progress would be to go to Chessgames.com or
Chesslive.de (where you enter the moves. Expect 1000's of games, probably 2000. For newer games go to advanced and enter 2002 to 2007.
The best way to progress is to follow GM games.

Be2 is a bad move. The bishop belongs on d3. The problem is that Bd3 is usually met by dxc4. Since dxc4 is a key part of black's freeing strategy (see below) white would usually like to wait to develop his bishop, so he can play Bf1xc4, saving a tempo. In practice, however, it's hard for white to find enough useful moves to compel this.

While this is true, the QGD is an excellent opening to learn, and you will learn a lot playing it that will apply to almost all 1.d4 openings. But, yes, for a beginner, 1.e4 is usually a better choice.


It really is too early to call this an Orthodox defense.

After 5. ... h6 6.Bh4 Ne4 we have a Lasker's defense.
After 5. ... h6 6.Bh4 b6 we have a Tartakower.

(Black has already elected not to select the Cambridge Springs - a good choice for the developing player - or the Tarrasch, my personal favorite. White, for his part, has passed up his opportunity to play a favorable version of the exchange variation).

It's hard to define an orthodox defense. It used to be, when everybody played 7.Rc1 (usually after ...h6 Bh4 Nbd7) that an Orthodox was defined by the "Capablanca freeing maneuver" of dxc4 followed by Nd5. Now that 7.Qc2 is played more often, however, you see that maneuver a little less, and it seems like we have to define "Orthodox defense" more broadly.

But calling this an Orthodox defense is kind of like calling 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 a ruy lopez. It's not ... yet. This is particularly the case since the Tartakower is at least as popular as the orthodox defense, and the lasker is the preferred defense of people playing higher rated opponents.

According to the position above the game is up to move 7 and not move 5.
Therefore, as according to Fine and others the game has gone into the
Orthodox Variation by move 7.

Thank you all very much for the feedback; in particular the advice about looking up how such games have progressed in the past on Chessgames.com was very useful. The players whose games I was advised to peruse have been very useful; Tarrasch's games in particular.

Thanks again...

I prefer to play The Exchange Variation.
And to choose between two plans: to prepare the advance e4 or b4 and b5.

Then Fine is wrong (although I did put some wrong move numbers up there, because the h6 maneuver usually happens earlier, but can happen at any number of moves.)

It's not an orthodox variation if black plays a Lasker's defense, which is still a valid option.

In the original posted position (since edited) black has the option of a Tartakower. That's also NOT an orthodox variation.

And if Fine says otherwise, then Fine is wrong.

hey, its been a long time since i played QGD as white. In fact, i used to play the QGD exchange variation. i do remember that after white cxd (at some stage, im not exactly talking about the diagramed position about just in general, but white can also play for pawn minority attack on the queenside using his a and b pawns, and with rook on the b file. Its been a long time since i played or studied QG so cant really give so much more detail or specifics, but i think pawn minority attack is something one needs to know if playing QG.
i think fromper mentioned Qc2 and Bd3 aiming at h7 but really against stronger players play will switch to queenside of the board. At the same time white should be on the look out at launching an attack on blacks kingside at the right time. As in the colle system, the Bishop on d3 can be a powerfull affacker especially if white can quickly shift his queen, or rook (rook lift) Ng5 etc. and then typically plug the f6 square and mate, but thats only if one is lucky,