Theoria
8765432abcdefgh1

Queen's Gambit Declined

Alapin Variation

D31solidoffbeat

  1. 1.d4e6
  2. 2.c4b6
  3. 3.Nc3d5
1,603 games53%44%

A Queen's Gambit Declined line in which Black plays ...b6 before ...Nf6, preparing to fianchetto the problem c8-bishop; White keeps a slight edge.

Train it in Theoria

About the Alapin Variation

The Alapin Variation is the Queen's Gambit Declined with Black committing to ...b6 before developing the king's knight. Here it arises from the English Defense move order 1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6, with Black only then choosing 3...d5. The early ...b6 tackles the opening's central problem, the c8-bishop, by preparing its fianchetto on b7. 4. Nf3 is the usual reply, while 4. cxd5 and 4. Bf4 are also common. The engine gives White a slight edge.

Popular continuations