The Queen's Gambit Declined for Black

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6

The Queen's Gambit Declined arises after 1.d4 1...d5 2.c4 2...e6: Black does not take the pawn on c4 but supports d5 with the e-pawn. It is one of the most solid defences of all – ideal for club players who want a healthy position against 1.d4 without big risks. This course is built from 29,472 games of all the player collections on this site; Stockfish checked every position. The core plan: Nf6, Be7, castle short and then free your game with c5 or with exchanges via Ne4. White has two main roads: 3.Nc3 (64 % of the games) and 3.Nf3 (34 %). After 3.Nc3 3...Nf6, 4.Bg5 is the usual move; then you play the Tartakower Variation with 6...h6 and 7...b6, and the bishop goes to b7. Against the exchange 4.cxd5 4...exd5 the Carlsbad structure arises, and against 5.Bf4 you reply with the counter-strike 6...c5. Against 3.Nf3 and 4.g3, the Catalan Opening, you take the pawn with 6...dxc4 and develop your bishop via d7 to c6.

In the Tartakower Variation you question the bishop on g5 with h6 and put your queen's bishop on the long diagonal with b6 and Bb7 – otherwise it is often the problem piece in the Queen's Gambit.
The advance c5 is your most important freeing break: it attacks d4 and gives your pieces room. After dxc5 bxc5 you often get the 'hanging pawns' on c5 and d5 – strong as long as your pieces support them.
Exchanges bring relief: with Ne4, or after cxd5 with Nxd5, you offer trades, and after Bxe7 Qxe7 your position is usually free of worries.
In the Exchange Variation (the Carlsbad structure) your knight travels via d7 and f8 to e6 or g6 (Nf8), and with Bf5 – prepared by g6 if needed – you trade off White's bishop on d3. Against White's minority attack with b4, a5 helps.
Against Bf4 you play c5 at once; after dxc5 Bxc5, Nc6 and Qa5 put pressure on c3, and the central advance e5 often follows.
Against the Catalan you take the pawn with dxc4; with a6 and b5, or with Bd7 and Bc6, you fight against the bishop on g2 and develop harmoniously.