QGD: Orthodox Defence
QGD: Orthodox Defence
Definition
The Orthodox Defence is the classical way for Black to meet the Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD). After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Black calmly completes development, refuses to concede the centre, and prepares to castle. It is called “orthodox” because, for more than a century, it was considered the soundest, most principled reply to the QGD.
Typical Move-Order
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7
Strategic Themes
- ‘Spanish’ Bishop: Black’s light-squared bishop often sits on e7 for many moves, supporting …dxc4 or …Ne4 ideas.
- Carlsbad Structure: If White trades on d5, the famous minority-attack plan b4–b5 appears.
- Central Tension: Black keeps the centre closed until the timely break …c5, …e5, or …dxc4 becomes possible.
- e4 Outpost: Manoeuvres like …Re8, …Nf8, …Ng6 fight for the crucial e4-square.
- Bxf6 Doubler: White can double Black’s f-pawns with Bxf6, but at the price of releasing pressure on d5.
Key Sub-Variations
- Main Line: 7. Rc1 c6 8. Qc2 Re8 9. Bd3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nd5
- 6…h6 7. Bh4: The classical 7…b6 (Capablanca) or the modern 7…Ne4 (Lasker Variation)
- Cambridge Springs: 5…Nbd7 6. Nf3 c6 7. Rc1 Qa5
- Tartakower (Makogonov–Bondarevsky) System: 5…h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 b6
- Lasker Defence: 6…h6 7. Bh4 Ne4, exchanging minor pieces to reduce White’s space advantage
Model Games
- Capablanca – Alekhine, World Championship 1927, Game 7 (Capablanca’s strategic squeeze in the Tartakower line)
- Botvinnik – Bronstein, Candidates 1950, Game 3 (textbook minority attack leading to a kingside assault)
- Anand – Kramnik, World Championship 2008, Game 3 (modern handling of the Lasker Defence)
- Carlsen – Karjakin, World Championship 2016, Game 10 (dynamic Cambridge Springs revival)
Historical Significance
From the late 19th to mid-20th century the Orthodox Defence was the backbone of elite play. Legends such as Emanuel Lasker, José Raúl Capablanca, Mikhail Botvinnik and later Anatoly Karpov relied on its solidity. Even after hyper-modern openings like the Grünfeld appeared, the Orthodox Defence remained a universal, all-purpose system for Black.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Because Capablanca adopted 5…Be7 so consistently, Soviet writers once dubbed it the “Capablanca Variation.”
- Deep Blue chose the Orthodox Defence in Game 5 of its 1997 rematch with Garry Kasparov—and held the draw.
- The opening has featured in every World Championship match from Steinitz–Lasker (1894) through Carlsen–Nepomniachtchi (2021).
- Grandmasters call the pawn on d5 “the cork in the bottle”: remove it too soon and White’s centre can explode.
Practical Tips
- For Black: Memorise typical manoeuvres (…Nbd7-f8-g6, …Re8-Nf8) rather than long forcing sequences.
- For White: Decide early between a minority-attack plan (cxd5 followed by b4–b5) and a kingside assault (maintaining tension, advancing g- and h-pawns).
- Rook activity on the c-file often decides endgames; the side that seizes that file first usually prevails.