One of the oldest and most respected openings in chess. White offers a pawn to gain central control. The resulting positions are strategically rich and have been played at the highest levels for centuries.
Move Sequence
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7
Famous Game
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White aims to complete development with Rc1, Bd3 (or Be2), and castle kingside, then pressure the d5 pawn with moves like Qc2 and potential e4 advance. The long-term goal is to exploit any weakness in Black's position after trading on d5 or pushing through the center with e4.
Black seeks solid development and aims to free the position with ...c5 or ...dxc4 followed by ...e5, challenging White's central control. The knight on d7 supports the ...c5 break and can reroute to f8-e6 or f8-g6 to bolster the kingside if needed.
White: e4 (central expansion), cxd5 (to open the c-file); Black: ...c5 (challenging d4), ...dxc4 (releasing tension and targeting e4), ...e5 (liberating break if White plays cxd5)
The middlegame tends to be a structured, positional battle where White holds central space and presses on the queenside and center, while Black works to equalize through timely pawn breaks. Play is often semi-closed with maneuvering, though it can sharpen if Black achieves ...c5 and ...dxc4 creating open files.
Petrosian, Tigran V vs. Larsen, Bent
Biel Interzonal, 1976
Bobotsov, Milko G vs. Larsen, Bent
Noordwijk, 1965
Bronstein, David I vs. Berger, Bela
Amsterdam Interzonal, 1964
Euwe, Max vs. Spielmann, Rudolf
Noordwijk, 1938
Euwe, Max vs. Tartakower, Saviely
Noordwijk, 1938
Alekhine, Alexander vs. Capablanca, Jose Raul
World Championship 13th, 1927