| Queen's Pawn Opening | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/3P4/8/PPP1PPPP/RNBQKBNR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moves: 1. d4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECO code: A40-A99, D00-D99 and E00-E99 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent: Starting position | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1. d4 - Queen's Pawn Opening
White makes an aggressive claim to the centre. At this point, Black must decide how to face White's aggression. Traditionally, the two most popular replies are 1...d5 and 1...Nf6, as most other moves tend to allow White a broad center with 2. e4. Allowing the broad center was frowned upon in classical times, but is more of a matter of preference today. Another reason 1...d5 and 1...Nf6 are the main replies considered is that many of the alternatives transpose into main lines anyway. One notable exception is the Dutch Defense (1...f5), whose character prevents 2. e4 whilst remaining unique. 1...d5 directly challenges White's plan to establish a broad center. 1...Nf6 prevents an immediate 2. e4 while maintaining flexibility to play a number of 'Indian' systems or move back into a system typical of 1...d5.
To play 1. d4 correctly, the White player should learn the basic Queen's Gambit positions, the King's Indian, Queen's Indian, Nimzo-Indian positions, and even some of the Benoni positions. This may seem intimidating to the beginner, but fortunately it is not as difficult as it may sound at first.
Furthermore, there are several practical advantages to becoming familiar with playing 1. d4 as White:
- 1. d4 openings tend to be more forgiving than 1. e4 openings so far as traps are concerned. Pieces should be mobilized quickly, but it is less common for a natural-looking move to lead to a sudden demise, in contrast to several 1. e4 traps such as the Philidor Defense, Hanham Variation.
- While there are many transpositions between the different 1. d4 openings, this is true because the underlying strategic goals are very similar. The Queen's Indian has much in common with some of the main variations of the Queen's Gambit Declined — much more so than the typical Caro-Kann has with the French Defense or Ruy Lopez in the 1. e4 world.
- Even today, at least at amateur levels, the 1. d4 openings are still less frequently encountered than 1. e4 openings.
Statistics
- Approximate chances
- White win 38%, Draw 33%, Black win 29%.
- Estimated next move popularity
- Nf6 55%, d5 28%, e6 5%, f5 3.5%, g6 3%, d6 3%, c5 1%. Other moves less than 1%.
For a detailed statistical analysis of ten selected 1. d4 openings see:
Munshi, J. 2014. Comparing chess openings part 3, http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2441568
Theory table
- 1. d4
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's Indian Defence | d4 Nf6 |
c4 g6 |
Nc3 Bg7 |
e4 d6 |
Nf3 O-O |
Be2 e5 |
= |
| Grunfeld Defence | ... ... |
... ... |
... d5 |
cxd5 Nxd5 |
e4 Nxc3 |
bxc3 Bg7 |
= |
| Benoni Defence | ... ... |
... c5 |
d5 e6 |
Nc3 exd5 |
cxd5 d6 |
e4 g6 |
+/= |
| Budapest Gambit | ... ... |
... e5 |
dxe5 Ng4 |
Bf4 Nc6 |
Nf3 Bb4+ |
Nbd2 Qe7 |
+/= |
| Queen's Indian Defence | ... ... |
... e6 |
Nf3 b6 |
a3 Bb7 |
Nc3 d5 |
cxd5 Nxd5 |
+/= |
| Bogo-Indian Defence | ... ... |
... ... |
... Bb4+ |
Bd2 Qe7 |
g3 Nc6 |
Nc3 Bxc3 |
+/= |
| Nimzo-Indian Defence | ... ... |
... ... |
Nc3 Bb4 |
e3 O-O |
Bd3 d5 |
Nf3 c5 |
= |
| Closed Game | ... d5 |
c4 e6 |
Nc3 Nf6 |
Bg5 Be7 |
e3 O-O |
Nf3 Nbd7 |
= |
| Slav Defence | ... ... |
... c6 |
Nf3 Nf6 |
Nc3 dxc4 |
a4 Bf5 |
e3 e6 |
= |
| Queen's Pawn/Semi-Slav | ... e6 |
c4 d5 |
Nc3 Nf6 |
Nf3 c6 |
e3 Nbd7 |
Bd3 dxc4 |
= |
| Neo-Old Indian | ... d6 |
c4 e5 |
Nf3 e4 |
Ng5 f5 |
Nc3 c6 |
Nh3 Nf6 |
= |
| Dutch Defence | ... f5 |
c4 Nf6 |
g3 g6 |
Bg2 Bg7 |
Nf3 O-O |
O-O d6 |
= |
| Queen's Pawn: Modern | ... g6 |
c4 Bg7 |
Nc3 d6 |
Nf3 Nd7 |
g3 e5 |
Bg2 Ne7 |
= |
| Old Benoni | ... c5 |
d5 e5 |
e4 d6 |
Nc3 Be7 |
Nf3 Bg4 |
h3 Bxf3 |
+/= |
Other less common moves:
- 1... c6 usually transposes to the Caro-Kann Defense (following 2. e4 d5) or the Slav Defense (following 2. c4 d5).
- 1... Nc6 - Queen's Knight Defence
- 1... b5 - Polish Defence
- 1... b6 - English Defence
- 1...e5 - Englund Gambit
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References
- Batsford Chess Openings 2 (1989, 1994). Garry Kasparov, Raymond Keene. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.
- Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.
- Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14. 1999. Nick de Firmian, Walter Korn. ISBN 0-8129-3084-3.
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