FIDE SURVEYS – Uwe Boensch

1

Uwe Boensch:

The Queen's Gambit

The following survey is aimed above all at
players who would like to get a quick
overview of the jungle of variations in the
Queen's Gambit. It deliberately does not go
into long and deep variations. Within a
short space of time you will learn about the
most important variations and their names.


Exchange Variation D36

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Sc3 Sf6 4.cd5 ed5

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnlwqkvl-tr0
9zppzp-+pzpp0
9-+-+-sn-+0
9+-+p+-+-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
9+-sN-+-+-0
9PzP-+PzPPzP0
9tR-vLQmKLsNR0
xiiiiiiiiy

5.Lg5 c6 6.Dc2 Le7 7.e3 0–0 8.Ld3 Sbd7
9.Sf3

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwq-trk+0
9zpp+nvlpzpp0
9-+p+-sn-+0
9+-+p+-vL-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
9+-sNLzPN+-0
9PzPQ+-zPPzP0
9tR-+-mK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

9.Sge2 Te8 10.0–0 Sf8 11.f3 Le6 12.Tae1

Tc8 13.Kh1 S6d7 14.Le7 Te7 15.Sf4 Tc7
16.Df2 Sf6 17.e4 de4 18.fe4.
9...Te8 10.0–0

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwqr+k+0
9zpp+nvlpzpp0
9-+p+-sn-+0
9+-+p+-vL-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
9+-sNLzPN+-0
9PzPQ+-zPPzP0
9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

10.0–0–0 Sf8 11.h3 Le6 (11...a5 12.g4 a4
13.Sa4 Da5 14.Sc3 b5 15.Lf6 Lf6 16.g5
Le7 17.Se5 Lb7 18.Lh7 Sh7 19.g6 fg6
20.Dg6) 12.Kb1 Tc8 13.g4 a6.
10...Sf8 11.Tae1
11.Lf6 Lf6 12.b4 Lg4 13.Sd2 Le7 14.Tab1
(14.b5 c5) 14...Ld6;
11.a3 Sg6 12.b4 Ld6; 11.Se5 Sg4;
11.Tab1 a5 12.a3 Sg6 13.b4 ab4 14.ab4
Ld6 15.b5 h6 16.Lf6 Df6 17.bc6 bc6.
11...Se4 12.Le7 De7 13.Le4 de4 14.Sd2 f5

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+l+rsnk+0
9zpp+-wq-zpp0
9-+p+-+-+0
9+-+-+p+-0
9-+-zPp+-+0
9+-sN-zP-+-0
9PzPQsN-zPPzP0
9+-+-tRRmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

14...b6 15.Da4 b5 16.Dc2 b4 17.Se2 La6
18.Dc6 Ld3.
15.f3 ef3 16.Sf3 Le6 17.e4 fe4 18.Te4 h6
19.Tfe1 Tad8 =.

FIDE SURVEYS – Uwe Boensch

2

Cambridge Springs D52

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Sc3 Sf6 4.Lg5 Sbd7
4...c6.
5.e3
5.cd5 ed5 6.Sd5 Sd5 7.Ld8 Lb4 8.Dd2 Ld2
9.Kd2 Kd8.
5...c6 6.Sf3 Da5

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+l+kvl-tr0
9zpp+n+pzpp0
9-+p+psn-+0
9wq-+p+-vL-0
9-+PzP-+-+0
9+-sN-zPN+-0
9PzP-+-zPPzP0
9tR-+QmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

7.cd5
7.Ld3 dc4 8.Lc4 Se4;
7.Sd2 Lb4 (7...dc4 8.Lf6 Sf6 9.Sc4 Dc7)
8.Dc2 0–0 9.Le2 e5 10.0–0 (10.de5 Se4
11.Sde4 de4 12.0–0 Lc3 13.bc3 Te8
14.Lf4 Se5 15.De4 Lf5 16.Dd4 Tad8)
10...ed4 11.Sb3 Db6 12.Sd4 dc4 13.Lh4
(13.Lc4 Dc5);
7.Lf6 Sf6 8.Sd2 Lb4 9.Dc2 0–0 10.Ld3
Te8 11.0–0 e5=.
7...Sd5 8.Dd2 Lb4 9.Tc1 h6 10.Lh4 c5
10...0–0 11.a3 Lc3 12.bc3 Da3 13.e4 Se7
14.Ld3 Sg6 15.Lg3.
11.a3 Lc3 12.bc3

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+l+k+-tr0
9zpp+n+pzp-0
9-+-+p+-zp0
9wq-zpn+-+-0
9-+-zP-+-vL0
9zP-zP-zPN+-0
9-+-wQ-zPPzP0
9+-tR-mKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

12...b6

After 12...Da3 13.e4 S5f6 14.Ld3 white
has compensation with the Bishop pair and
strong central pawns.
13.c4
13.e4 S5f6 14.Ld3 Lb7;
13.Ld3 La6.
13...Dd2 14.Sd2 Se7 15.f3 Sf5 16.Lf2

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+l+k+-tr0
9zp-+n+pzp-0
9-zp-+p+-zp0
9+-zp-+n+-0
9-+PzP-+-+0
9zP-+-zPP+-0
9-+-sN-vLPzP0
9+-tR-mKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

=.


Ragosin and Vienna Variations D39


1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Sc3 Sf6 4.Sf3

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnlwqkvl-tr0
9zppzp-+pzpp0
9-+-+psn-+0
9+-+p+-+-0
9-+PzP-+-+0
9+-sN-+N+-0
9PzP-+PzPPzP0
9tR-vLQmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

4...dc4
This is Vienna variation.
4...Lb4 is Ragosin variation: 5.cd5
a) 5.Da4 Sc6 6.Lg5 (6.e3 0–0 7.Ld2 dc4
8.Lc4 Ld6 9.Sb5 Le7 10.0–0) 6...h6 7.Lf6
(7.Lh4 g5 8.Lg3 Se4) 7...Df6 8.e3 0–0
9.cd5 ed5 10.Le2 Le6 11.0–0 a6;

FIDE SURVEYS – Uwe Boensch

3

b) 5.Lg5 h6 6.Lf6 (6.Lh4 dc4 7.e3 b5 8.a4
c6 9.Le2 Lb7 10.0–0 a6 11.Se5©) 6...Df6
7.e3 0–0 8.Tc1 dc4 9.Lc4 c5;
5...ed5 6.Lg5 Sbd7 (6...h6 7.Lh4 g5 8.Lg3
Se4 9.Sd2 Sc3 10.bc3 Lc3 11.Tc1 Lb2
12.Lc7 De7 13.Ld6 De6 14.Tb1 Lc3
15.La3 Sc6! ) 7.e3 (7.Dc2 c5) 7...c5 8.Ld3
Da5 9.Dc2 c4 10.Lf5 0–0 11.0–0 Te8
12.Sd2 g6 13.Ld7 Sd7 14.f3 Sb6 15.Tae1
Ld7 16.Lh4 Lc3 17.bc3 Sa4 18.Sb1 f5.
5.e4
5.e3 a6 6.Lc4 b5 7.Ld3 Lb7 8.0–0 c5=.
5...Lb4 6.Lg5
6.Lc4 Se4 7.0–0 Sc3 8.bc3 Le7 (8...Ld6
9.Sg5 h6 10.Dh5 0–0 11.Se4 f5 12.Sd6 cd6
13.Te1 (13.Lh6 gh6 14.Dg6=) ) 9.Se5 0–0
10.Dg4©.
6...c5

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnlwqk+-tr0
9zpp+-+pzpp0
9-+-+psn-+0
9+-zp-+-vL-0
9-vlpzPP+-+0
9+-sN-+N+-0
9PzP-+-zPPzP0
9tR-+QmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

7.Lc4
After 7.e5 the best is 7...cd4 8.Da4 Sc6
9.0–0–0 Ld7 10.Se4 Le7 11.ef6 gf6 12.Lh4
Tc8.
7...cd4 8.Sd4 Lc3 9.bc3 Da5

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnl+k+-tr0
9zpp+-+pzpp0
9-+-+psn-+0
9wq-+-+-vL-0
9-+LsNP+-+0
9+-zP-+-+-0
9P+-+-zPPzP0
9tR-+QmK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

10.Lb5

10.Lf6 Dc3 11.Kf1 gf6 (11...Dc4? 12.Kg1
gf6 (12...0–0 13.Dg4 g6 14.e5 Sc6 15.Sc6
Dg4 16.Se7# ) 13.Tc1) 12.Tc1 Da5 13.h4
Sc6 14.Sc6 bc6 15.Th3 with compensation;
10.Sb5 Se4 11.Dd4 0–0 12.De4 a6 13.Le7
ab5 14.Lb4 Dc7 15.Lf8 Kf8 16.Lb3 Dc3
17.Ke2 Db2 =.
10...Ld7
10...Sbd7 11.Lf6 Dc3 12.Kf1 gf6 13.h4 a6
14.Th3 Da5 15.Le2 Sc5 16.Sb3 Sb3
17.Db3 b6 18.Td1 Lb7.
11.Lf6 gf6
11...Dc3? 12.Kf1 gf6 13.Tc1.
12.Ld7
12.Db3 0–0 13.0–0 Lb5 14.Sb5 Sc6 15.c4
Tad8=.
12...Sd7 13.0–0 a6 14.Tb1 Dc7 15.Dh5
with an advantage for White.

Tartakover Variation D58

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Sc3 Sf6 4.Sf3 Le7 5.Lg5
0–0 6.e3 h6 7.Lh4
7.Lf6 Lf6 8.Dc2
a) 8.Dd2 dc4 9.Lc4 Sd7 10.0–0–0 c5 11.h4
cd4 12.ed4 Sb6 13.Lb3 Ld7;
b) 8.Db3 c5 9.cd5 (9.dc5 Sd7 10.cd5 Sc5)
9...cd4 10.Sd4 Ld4 11.ed4 ed5;
c) 8.Tc1 c6 9.Ld3 Sd7 10.0–0 dc4 11.Lc4
e5 12.h3 ed4 13.ed4 Sb6 14.Lb3 Te8
15.Te1 Lf5;
8...c5 9.dc5 dc4 10.Lc4 Sd7 11.c6 Se5
12.Se5 Le5 13.cb7 (13.0–0 Lh2 14.Kh2
Dh4;
13.Le2 bc6 14.0–0 Tb8) 13...Lb7.
7...b6

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnlwq-trk+0
9zp-zp-vlpzp-0
9-zp-+psn-zp0
9+-+p+-+-0
9-+PzP-+-vL0
9+-sN-zPN+-0
9PzP-+-zPPzP0
9tR-+QmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

FIDE SURVEYS – Uwe Boensch

4

8.Ld3
8.cd5 Sd5 9.Le7 De7 10.Sd5 ed5 11.Tc1
Le6 12.Da4 c5 13.Da3 Tc8 14.Lb5 Db7
(14...a6 15.dc5 bc5 16.0–0 Ta7 17.Le2 Sd7
18.Sd4, Fischer : Spassky, Reykjavik 1972
(6); 14...Df8; 14...Kf8) 15.dc5 bc5 16.Tc5
Tc5 17.Dc5 Sa6 18.La6 Da6 19.Da3 Dc4
with good game for Black;
8.Le2 Lb7 9.Lf6 Lf6 10.cd5 ed5 11.b4 c6
(11...c5 12.bc5 bc5 13.Tb1 Lc6 14.0–0 Sd7
15.Lb5 Dc7 and White is better) 12.0–0 a5
13.b5 (13.ba5 Ta5) 13...c5;
8.Db3 Lb7 9.Lf6 Lf6 10.cd5 ed5 11.Td1!?.
8...Lb7 9.0–0
9.Lf6 Lf6 10.cd5 ed5 11.Tc1 c5 12.0–0
Sd7.
9...Sbd7 10.De2 c5 11.Tfd1 Se4 12.Lg3
12.Le7 De7 13.cd5 ed5 14.Tac1 Tac8 and
strong Knight e4 is enough for the
equality.
12...cd4 13.ed4 Sg3 14.hg3 Sf6 =.

Capablanca + Lasker Variation D69

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Sc3 Sf6 4.Sf3 Le7 5.Lg5
0–0 6.e3 Sbd7
6...h6 7.Lh4 Se4

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnlwqkvlntr0
9zppzppzppzpp0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9PzPPzPPzPPzP0
9tRNvLQmKLsNR0
xiiiiiiiiy

Lasker variation - D56+57.
8.Le7 (8.Lg3 Lb4) 8...De7 9.Tc1
a) 9.Se4 de4 10.Sd2 f5 11.Le2 e5;
b) 9.cd5 Sc3 10.bc3 ed5 11.Db3 Td8 12.c4
dc4 13.Lc4 Sc6 14.Dc3 Lg4;
c) 9.Dc2 c6 10.Ld3 (10.Se4 de4 11.De4
Db4 12.Sd2 Db2) 10...Sc3 11.Dc3 dc4
12.Lc4 Sd7 13.0–0 b6=;

9...c6 10.Le2 (10.Ld3 Sc3 11.Tc3 Sd7
12.0–0 e5 13.de5 dc4 14.Lc4 Se5 15.Se5
De5) 10...Sc3 11.Tc3 dc4 12.Lc4 Sd7
13.0–0 b6 (13...e5 14.Lb3 Td8 15.Te1 ed4
16.ed4 Dd6) 14.Ld3 c5 (14...Lb7 15.Le4
Tac8 16.Dc2) 15.Le4 Tb8 16.Dc2 Sf6
(16...Lb7 17.Lb7 Tb7 18.Tc1) 17.dc5 Se4
18.De4 bc5 19.Dc2 Lb7 20.Sd2 Tfd8.
7.Tc1
7.Dc2 c5 8.cd5 (8.0–0–0 Da5 9.Kb1 cd4
10.ed4 dc4 11.Lc4 Sb6 12.Ld3 h6 13.h4
Ld7) 8...cd4 9.Sd4 Sd5 10.Le7 Se7.
7...c6
7...a6 8.cd5 (8.c5).
8.Ld3
8.Dc2 a6.
8...dc4 9.Lc4 Sd5

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwq-trk+0
9zpp+nvlpzpp0
9-+p+p+-+0
9+-+n+-vL-0
9-+LzP-+-+0
9+-sN-zPN+-0
9PzP-+-zPPzP0
9+-tRQmK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

10.Le7 De7 11.0–0
11.Se4 S5f6.
11...Sc3 12.Tc3 e5 13.de5
13.Lb3 ed4 14.ed4 Sf6 15.Te1 Dd6 16.Se5
and White is more active.
13...Se5 14.Se5 De5 15.f4 De4
15...De7 16.f5.
16.De2 Lf5 17.Ld3 Dd5 18.e4 Dd4
19.Df2 Df2 20.Kf2 Ld7
and White is better.