Queen's Gambit Declined

About this opening

By supporting d5 with 2...e6, Black declines the gambit and builds one of the most solid structures in chess. The cost is the c8 bishop, hemmed in behind the e6 pawn; much of Black's play revolves around the freeing breaks ...c5 and ...e5, or trading the bad bishop. White typically develops with Bg5, e3 and Rc1, pressing on the queenside. The Orthodox, Tartakower and Ragozin variations have been tested in dozens of world championship games — from Capablanca and Alekhine in 1927 to Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi in 2021.