Queen's Gambit
IntermediateThe Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4). White offers the c-pawn to pull Black's d-pawn off the centre, then takes over the middle of the board.
Pile up on Black's d5-pawn (knight to c3, bishop to g5) and keep your space in the centre.
Look to push e4 at the right moment to open the position for your pieces. If Black's pawns sit on c6 and d5, switch plans and march your b-pawn up (b4-b5) to leave Black a weak pawn to target.
Key Strategic Ideas
The Queen's Gambit isn't a real gambit — White always gets the c-pawn back. Its real aim is the centre: offering the c-pawn either tempts Black's d5-pawn to capture and abandon the middle, or forces Black to spend moves defending it.
Whichever Black picks, White comes out ahead in the fight for the central squares — usually with a broad pawn centre, the freer pieces, and a small but lasting edge. The six ideas below show this plan move by move.