After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 b5 4.Nf3 Bb7, you have reached the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Greco Variation with Nf3. This is a sharp line where Black grabs a pawn on c4 and fights to hold it with ...b5 and ...Bb7. White's next move will decide how the battle unfolds — and the statistics show you are in excellent shape. Over 28,000 games have been played from this exact position, with Black winning 47.7% to White's 48.3% and a tiny 4.0% draw rate. The engine gives +0.18, a negligible edge for White — in practice, you are essentially dead level and can play for a win with accurate moves. Below, the drill lets you practise the critical response against White's most dangerous tries.
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Play the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Greco Variation: Nf3 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
The drill below lets you play this position as Black against an adapting engine. Practise punishing White's inaccuracies and steering the game toward your best
Find your own #1 mistake — free →What Black Is Fighting For
This line of the Queen's Gambit Accepted is all about the tension on the queenside. After grabbing the c4-pawn, Black has played ...b5 to defend it and developed the bishop to b7, eyeing the centre and the e4-pawn. White typically tries to break the pawn chain with b3 (the engine's favourite) or challenge your setup with Nc3. Your main job is to keep the extra pawn secure without falling behind in development. If White plays too slowly, you can consolidate with ...e6, ...Nf6, and ...c5 to free your game. Notice the draw rate is extremely low — only 4% — meaning this is a fighting opening where both sides push for a decision, not a quiet positional line.
The Engine's Recommendation: b3
Stockfish's top choice at depth 16 is b3, leading to the continuation b3 e6 bxc4 Nf6. White aims to immediately reclaim the lost c4-pawn and challenge your bishop pair. Your reply ...e6 solidifies the centre and prepares to redevelop after the pawn swap. The resulting positions are balanced — the engine's +0.18 reflects a tiny plus for White that is statistically insignificant at club level. Against b3, your plan is straightforward: complete development with ...Nf6, ...Be7 or ...Bd6, and castle kingside. The half-open b-file and your bishop pair give you comfortable counterplay.
The Most Popular Replies and How They Score
Among real games, the most common White move is Nc3 (12,003 games), scoring 48.9% for White — a perfectly normal result. After Nc3, Black can maintain the tension with ...a6 (a typical Queen's Gambit Accepted idea) or play ...e6 to shore up the centre. d5 is the second-most played (7,685 games) but the engine calls it a mistake — more on that below. Nbd2 (1,919 games) scores only 44.7% for White, a poor outcome. a4 (1,615 games) is the most successful for White at 54.6%, so watch out for that aggressive thrust. After a4, you need to be ready to defend b5 accurately, often with ...a6 or ...b4. Qc2 (1,133 games, 45.6%) is also possible but inaccurate. Finally, e5 (1,049 games, 47.5%) is another solid option to face.
Three Mistakes White Can Make — Punish Them
The engine identifies several suboptimal moves for White in this position — and knowing them helps you stay alert. d5 and Nbd2 are both mistakes that lose roughly 1.3 pawns each. The correct move was b3. If White pushes d5, you can react with ...e6 or ...Nf6, soon winning the e4-pawn or emerging with a strong centre. Similarly, Nbd2 blocks the bishop on c1 and fails to challenge your queenside quickly — you can seize the initiative with ...c5 or ...e6 followed by ...Nf6. Qc2 is an inaccuracy costing about 0.9 pawns; it is better than the two mistakes but still not optimal (Nc3 was preferred). After Qc2, you can develop naturally and White's queen may be exposed to later threats. Whenever White plays one of these imprecise moves, trust your position and play actively.
Results across 28,199 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nc3Main line | 12,003 | 48.9% |
| 2 | d5 | 7,685 | 46.6% |
| 3 | Nbd2 | 1,919 | 44.7% |
| 4 | a4 | 1,615 | 54.6% |
| 5 | Qc2 | 1,133 | 45.6% |
| 6 | e5 | 1,049 | 47.5% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation good for Black?
Yes, it is perfectly playable for Black. From this exact position (after 4.Nf3 Bb7), the engine gives +0.18 — a negligible edge for White — and game results are almost dead even: Black wins 47.7% vs White's 48.3% with only 4% draws. It is a sharp, fighting line where Black can play for a win.
What is the best move for White after 4.Nf3 Bb7?
The engine's top choice is b3, continuing with b3 e6 bxc4 Nf6. This aims to immediately recover the c4-pawn and challenge Black's setup. The second most popular move in practice is Nc3, which has been played in over 12,000 games with normal results.
Which White moves are mistakes in this line?
Both d5 and Nbd2 are mistakes that cost White roughly 1.3 pawns. Qc2 is an inaccuracy losing about 0.9 pawns. The engine recommends b3 as the best move, with Nc3 as the second-best option. If White plays d5 or Nbd2, Black should seize the initiative.
What is Black's plan after b3 e6 bxc4 Nf6?
After this sequence, the position is balanced. Black should complete development naturally — bring the other bishop out, castle kingside, and prepare ...c5 to challenge White's centre. The bishop pair and the half-open b-file give Black good counterplay and a comfortable middlegame.
How many games feature the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Greco Variation: Nf3?
Over 28K Lichess games have reached the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Greco Variation: Nf3 position. White wins 48.3%, Black wins 47.7%, with 4.0% draws — based on real rated games.