Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation
Queen’s Gambit Declined: Queen’s Knight Variation
Definition
The Queen’s Knight Variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD) is characterized by the early development of Black’s queen’s knight to d7: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7. It belongs to the Orthodox family of the QGD and is catalogued in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings as D37–D38.
Typical Move-Order
Most common sequence:
- 1. d4 d5
- 2. c4 e6
- 3. Nc3 Nf6
- 4. Bg5 Nbd7 (Queen’s Knight Variation)
- 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 → can transpose to the Cambridge Springs
Other branches include 5. Nf3 and 5. cxd5, but the defining feature is always …Nbd7 before …Be7 or …c6.
Strategic Ideas
- Flexibility for Black – …Nbd7 keeps the f6-knight in contact with the center, allowing …c6 and …e6–e5 breaks later.
- Solid structure – Black declines the gambit pawn, maintaining the classical d5–e6 pawn chain and avoiding early structural weaknesses.
- Counterplay on the queenside – After …c6 and …dxc4, Black can pressure the c- and d-files and sometimes expand with …b5.
- Piece congestion risk – The d7-knight can block the c8-bishop’s scope; Black must coordinate carefully (often with …b6 or …Be7–f8).
- White’s pressure – The pin on f6 creates tactical motifs (Nx d5, cxd5 ideas). White often castles queenside, h‐pawn storms, or central breaks with e4.
Historical Significance
The line was popularized in the late 19th century by players such as Siegbert Tarrasch and Emanuel Lasker. It became a staple of World Championship play:
- Capablanca – Alekhine, 1927: several games featured …Nbd7 to neutralize Capablanca’s positional squeeze.
- Karpov – Spassky, Candidates Final 1974: Karpov adopted 4…Nbd7 multiple times en route to winning the match.
- Kasparov – Anand, PCA 1995: Anand relied on the variation to avoid Kasparov’s preparation in sharper QGD lines.
Modern engines still judge the variation as sound; it appears in elite play when a solid, maneuvering game is desired (e.g., Carlsen – Karjakin, WCh 2016, Game 9, which transposed from this move-order).
Example Game
Karpov – Spassky, Moscow Candidates 1974 (Game 17)
Karpov sacrificed a pawn for long-term pressure; Spassky’s well-timed …c5 break equalized, illustrating Black’s typical counterplay.
Plans for Both Sides
- White
- Maintain the Bg5 pin; sometimes exchange on f6 to double Black’s pawns.
- Advance e4 after preparatory moves (Qc2, Nf3, Bd3).
- Optionally castle queenside and launch g-/h-pawn storms.
- Black
- Break with …c5 or …e5 at the right moment.
- Use the semi-open c-file after …dxc4 for counter-pressure.
- If White castles long, strike with …a5–a4 or …c5 to open lines.
Transpositions & Related Systems
The Queen’s Knight Variation is highly transpositional:
- Cambridge Springs: 5.e3 c6 6.Nf3 Qa5.
- Lasker Defense: If Black later plays …Be7, …h6, and …dxc4.
- Tarrasch Defense: If Black had chosen 3…c5 instead of 3…Nf6.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The move …Nbd7 was once considered slightly passive until José Raúl Capablanca called it “the most logical answer” to 4.Bg5 in post-game analysis of New York 1924.
- In Soviet literature the line was nicknamed the “Iron Curtain” because of its solidity.
- With accurate engine play, a trendy modern setup for Black is …h6, …dxc4, …Nb6, freeing the c8-bishop – a plan first explored by Magnus Carlsen in blitz games on the Chess.com Speed Chess Championship.
Summary
The Queen’s Knight Variation is a dependable, strategically rich choice for Black against the Queen’s Gambit. It offers a balance between solidity and latent counterplay, has stood up to world-championship scrutiny for over a century, and remains a mainstay in the repertoires of top grandmasters and club players alike.