Theoria
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Queen's Gambit Declined

Baltic Defense, Queen Attack Deferred

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  1. 1.d4d5
  2. 2.c4Bf5
  3. 3.Nc3e6
  4. 4.Qb3
1,183 games54%42%

A Baltic Defense line in which White plays Qb3 only after 3. Nc3 e6, aiming the queen at b7 and leaving Black a choice of how to defend it.

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About the Queen Attack Deferred

The Queen Attack Deferred postpones the Baltic Defense's thematic queen sortie until after 3. Nc3 e6. With d5 now supported by the e6-pawn, the queen's main target is b7. The most popular reply, 4...b6, blunts the pressure but scores poorly for Black. 4...Nc6, the engine's first choice, returns much better results, and 4...dxc4 is a less common alternative. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced.

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