Theoria

The best responses to 1. d4

Black’s answers to 1. d4 split into two families. 1...d5 meets the pawn head on and leads to the Queen’s Gambit Declined and the Slavs. 1...Nf6 controls e4 with a piece and keeps Black’s structure flexible: these are the Indian defenses, where Black decides on a setup after seeing White’s second and third moves.

The Queen’s Gambit Declined, the Slav and the Nimzo-Indian are the most solid. The King’s Indian, the Grünfeld and the Benoni give up some ground for active counterplay, and the Dutch fights for e4 from the side.

Black’s replies to 1. d4

  1. Queen's Gambit Declined

    1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6

    2...e6 keeps the pawn on d5, defended by a pawn. Classical and solid, with the reliable plan of freeing the position with ...c5 or ...e5.

    657k games · Black scores 46%51%44%

  2. Slav Defense

    1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6

    2...c6 supports d5 and leaves the c8-bishop free to develop. One of Black’s most dependable defenses at the top level.

    502k games · Black scores 47%51%44%

  3. Semi-Slav Defense

    1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6

    Black combines ...c6 and ...e6 for a very solid center, with the option of the sharp Meran and Botvinnik lines.

    96k games · Black scores 46%52%43%

  4. Nimzo-Indian Defense

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4

    3...Bb4 pins the knight on c3 and fights for e4 with pieces. Black often gives up the bishop pair to double White’s pawns.

    108k games · Black scores 49%49%46%

  5. King's Indian Defense

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3

    Black lets White build a broad center, then attacks it with ...e5 and often a kingside pawn storm. Sharp, and a favorite of both Fischer and Kasparov.

    217k games · Black scores 49%48%47%

  6. Grünfeld Defense

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5

    3...d5 lets White take the center with e4, then targets it with the g7-bishop and ...c5. Dynamic and heavily analyzed.

    54k games · Black scores 50%47%48%

  7. Queen's Indian Defense

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6

    3...b6 fianchettoes toward e4 after White’s 3. Nf3. Quiet and solid, and a natural partner to the Nimzo-Indian.

    19k games · Black scores 49%48%45%

  8. Dutch Defense

    1. d4 f5

    1...f5 controls e4 from the flank and points Black toward the kingside. Unbalanced from the first move, with the Stonewall and Leningrad setups to choose from.

    235k games · Black scores 48%50%46%

  9. Benoni Defense: Modern Variation

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6

    Black gets a queenside pawn majority and an active bishop on g7 in return for space. A combative choice for players who want winning chances.

    23k games · Black scores 49%49%47%

Pick your openings, and Theoria turns them into one repertoire you can see as a tree and train move by move with spaced repetition. Free on the web, iOS and Android.

Build your repertoire

More opening guides