First Steps: The Queen's Gambit

268 Pages·2017·22.624 MB·english

by  Andrew Martin

First published in 2016 by Gloucester Publishers Limited, Northburgh House,
10 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0AT
Copyright © 2016 Andrew Martin
The right of Andrew Martin to be identified as the author of this work has been
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About the Author
Andrew Martin is a FIDE Senior Trainer and International Master. He is the current Head
of the newly-formed ECF Academy, which provides elite training for strong, young
players. He teaches in twelve schools, is an experienced chess writer and has produced
numerous chess DVDs.
Also by the Author:
Starting Out: The Sicilian Dragon
Contents
About the Author
Bibliography
Introduction
1 Piece Deployment for White
2 Piece Deployment for Black
3 Exchange Systems
4 The Queen’s Gambit Accepted
5 The Queen’s Gambit Declined
6 The Slav
7 The Semi-Slav and Meran
8 The Tarrasch Defence
9 The Semi-Tarrasch Defence
10 Less Common Ideas for Black
Index of Complete Games
Bibliography
Electronic
Mega Database 2016
Correspondence Database 2015
ChessBase Opening Encyclopaedia 2016
ChessBase live update
Analysis engines
Deep Fritz 14
Komodo 10
Introduction
1 d4 d5 2 c4
There are many chess openings to choose from, but few have the depth and interest of
the Queen’s Gambit. It is correct to say that the improving player should have a good
knowledge of the strategical and tactical ideas of the Queen’s Gambit if he or she wants to
improve.
I am pleased to author this basic guide to what is a fascinating opening. I’ve split the
book up into sections, written as I would like to read and learn the opening myself. First
we cover the wide range of common themes that occur in Queen’s Gambit positions and
then we go on to look at the wide range of variations available to Black after 2 c4.
Throughout, we will feature a large number of illustrative games. I am not biased
towards either White or Black. The lines will be presented to you and then you may make
your choice. The freedom to play chess as we wish is one of the strongest attractions of
our favourite game.
I do hope that this book will serve as a decent introduction and that you will be inspired to
try out some ideas mentioned here. After that you can start to do your own further research
on one of the most classical of all the major chess openings.
Andrew Martin. November 2016
Chapter One
Piece Deployment for White
1 d4 d5 2 c4
Let us begin by listing the various squares where the White pieces develop in the
Queen’s Gambit.
1) The knight on b1 almost always comes to c3, putting pressure on the d5 pawn. Only
rarely does it come to d2.
2) The bishop on c1 will be developed to either g5 or f4, both being good squares. After
this bishop is developed, White normally plays e2-e3.
3) The knight on g1 develops to f3 or e2, depending on White’s plan. If you do play Nge2,
make sure you have developed your bishop on f1 first!
4) The bishop on f1 almost always goes to d3, an excellent central square. It may be that
Black takes the pawn on c4, in which case this bishop recaptures the pawn and ends up on
c4, which is another good square.
5) White’s queen most often goes to c2, or occasionally to any of e2, b3, or a4, according
to the needs of the position.
6) White will then be ready to castle on either side. Castling short is most common.
Castling long usually prefaces a kingside pawn storm and is much more aggressive and
risky.
7) The rooks can easily come into the centre after the previous development plan.
This short discussion helps us to understand that the Queen’s Gambit is a very harmonious
opening for White. All the pieces can come to good squares in a logical order and White
enters the middlegame with a strong, safe position and a wide choice of plans. How does
this all work out in practice? Let us see.
Game 1
S.Mamedyarov-L.Dominguez Perez
Beijing 2013
A well-developed position usually gives you a wide choice of plans. Our first game
features two of the best players in the world, who decide to go at each other hammer and
tongs from a basic Queen’s Gambit position.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 d5
The is the Queen’s Gambit Declined, a very solid set-up for Black. We won’t concern
ourselves too much with names at present.
4 Bg5
White concentrates his opening fire on the d5-square. He tempts Black to take on c4,
after which White will have full control of the centre. After 4 Bg5, Black is in a pin, from
which he escapes immediately.
4 … Be7! 5 Nf3 Nbd7 6 Qc2 0-0 7 cxd5 exd5 8 e3 c6 9 Bd3
Mamedyarov brings out his pieces, much as has been described in our introductory
section. White now has to decide where to castle and so we are coming up to a key
moment in the game.
9 … Re8 10 0-0-0!?
Full marks for aggression.
White’s king is more vulnerable on c1 than it would be on g1, but the chance for direct
attack would not be there. The plan now is to push the kingside pawns up as quickly as
possible and take a battering ram to the Black king.
10 0-0 is more common and somewhat safer. Grandmasters, club players and
improvers alike enjoy playing this line for White, as the plans tend to be clear-cut. This is
not to say that Black is without chances, as will see in the chapter on ‘Exchange
Variations’, a little later on. Play may now proceed 10 … Nf8 and White can choose from
any of 11 Rab1!, 11 Rae1, 11 Bxf6 Bxf6 12 b4 or 11 Ne5, dependent on taste.
10 … Nf8 11 Ne5 N6d7 12 h4!
The assault begins. White would love Black to take on g5, opening up all the lines
towards his king. Dominguez Perez tries to break the attack by exchanging off White’s
powerful central knight.
12 … Nxe5 13 dxe5 Qa5 14 Kb1!