Queen's Gambit Declined

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The Queen''s Gambit Declined (QGD) is a chess opening when after White plays the Queen''s Gambit: 1. d4 d5, 2. c4. Black declines the pawn offered by White and plays: 2. ... e6. This is known as the Orthodox Defense of Queen''s Gambit Declined. By declining the temporary pawn sacrifice, Black erects a solid position; the pawns on d5 and e6 give Black a foothold in the center. The Queen''s Gambit Declined has the reputation as being one of Black''s most reliable defenses to 1.d4. Playing 2...e6 releases Black''s dark-squared bishop, while obstructing the light-squared bishop. White will try to exploit the passivity of this bishop, and Black will try to release it, trade it, or prove that, while passive, the bishop has a useful defensive role. The Queen''s Gambit Declined is often reached by a number of other move orders, such as 1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5; 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5; 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4; or 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4.