- d4 d5
- c4 dxc4
Despite its name, the Queen’s Gambit Accepted (QGA) is not an attempt by black to win a pawn. The Queen’s Gambit is not like the other gambits. White has easy ways of regaining the sacrificed pawn, and if black tries to cling to the material advantage, they will end up with a very bad position.
What is the motivation for accepting the gambit with 2… dxc4, then? In a word, mobility. Black temporarily gives up the centre to avoid the cramped positions that can arise in the Queen’s Gambit Declined. Meanwhile, white’s main goal will be to eventually advance the e-pawn and then maintain a strong centre.
The most common continuation for white is 3. Nf3, where white delays recapturing the pawn in order to prevent black from playing …e5. After 3… Nf6 4. e3, white is ready to recapture with Bxc4.
In centuries past, when it was almost automatic to accept a gambit, black would often play the QGA and then try to hold onto the pawn, as in other gambits. The fact that it’s impossible to do so without ending up with a very bad position led to the Queen’s Gambit having a relatively bad reputation until the idea of accepting the gambit but then returning the pawn was developed by Wilhelm Steinitz in his 1886 world championship match against Zukertot. It increased in popularity through the early 20th century, but then declined a bit after World War II, as the Indian Defences became a more popular alternative to the Queen’s Gambit for those who wanted to avoid the cramped positions of the Queen’s Gambit Declined.