The Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Alekhine System — Playing as Black

The central tension in this position is everything. White has built a big pawn centre with d4 and e4, and you have challenged it with ...e5. Your main task is to keep the pressure on and not let White consolidate their extra space. If you can trade off the central pawns or force White into awkward defensive moves, your lead in development and activity will count for a lot. The engine's best move here is Nf3, continuing with Nf3 exd4 Nxd4 c5. Notice that sequence: you capture on d4, White recaptures with the knight, and then you push ...c5, kicking the knight and gaining more space on the queenside. This is a typical Alekhine System plan — you are not trying to hold the c4 pawn forever; you are giving it back for dynamic compensation.

Across 301,482 games from this position, White scores 52.6% wins, Black scores 43.4%, and draws are rare at just 4.0%. Those numbers might look discouraging at first — White wins more often overall — but remember this includes all skill levels, and many Black players mishandle the position. The engine says Black is slightly better (-0.33), so the low Black win rate is largely down to execution, not the opening itself. The critical moment comes right now: White has to choose a move, and several popular options actually help you. Knowing which White moves to welcome and which to be careful against will dramatically improve your results.

. d5 (209,324 games, White scores 55.2%) — This is by far the most common move and it is actually an inaccuracy that loses about 0.7 pawns. White closes the centre prematurely, which is exactly what you want. Your knight on f6 can retreat or redeploy, and you can proceed with development while White's pawn centre is less flexible. The statistics show White scoring well below the engine's expected value here, so you have good practical chances. . dxe5 (34,989 games, White scores 45.1%) — This is much more agreeable for you. White gives up the centre and your pieces get strong active posts. White's score drops below 50% here, and the engine agrees this is favourable for you. . Nf3 (34,865 games, White scores 51.0%) — This is the engine's best move, so this is the line you need to be most prepared for. White develops sensibly and the game continues Nf3 exd4 Nxd4 c5, entering a sharp middlegame where your queenside expansion and active pieces keep the balance. . Bxc4 (11,956 games, White scores 43.1%) — White takes the pawn back immediately. This is fine for you; you can continue developing your pieces and enjoy a comfortable game. White scores poorly here. . Bg5 (3,542 games, White scores 43.4%) — This is actually a mistake worth about 1.2 pawns. White pins your knight, but it is premature and you can respond strongly. The statistics show White struggling.

While this guide focuses on how to play the position as Black, it is worth noting that the two biggest errors in this position come from White. d5 is an inaccuracy — White closes the centre when they should be developing. If your opponent plays d5, do not panic: your position is already slightly better. Bg5 is outright a mistake, losing about 1.2 pawns. If you see Bg5, you should be confident: the engine says you are clearly better. Your job as Black is to avoid reciprocating with an inaccuracy of your own. Stick to the plan: keep central tension, develop quickly, and do not grab material at the cost of activity. The Nf3 line is the main test — study that continuation (Nf3 exd4 Nxd4 c5) so you are ready when your opponent plays the best move.