Chessy
Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old Variation — e6
If you play 1.d4 and want a safe, logical way to handle the Queen's Gambit Accepted, the Old Variation with e6 is a solid choice. After 2...dxc4, instead of chasing the pawn with 3.e4, you calmly play 3.e3, ready to recapture with your bishop on c4. Black has many possible replies, but the engine gives you a small edge from the start. Below you'll find the key statistics, the most common continuations, and the one mistake you can punish right away. The interactive drill awaits — try it yourself.
Play the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old Variation: e6 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play white, the engine adapts to your level.
Ready to test your knowledge? Play the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old Variation e6 drill now — the engine adapts to every move you make. Create a free account to
Create a free account →What You're Fighting For: A Healthy Centre
The whole point of 3.e3 followed by 4.Bxc4 is simple: you get your pawn back, develop your bishop to a powerful diagonal, and maintain a strong pawn centre with d4 and e3. Black has spent a move taking on c4 and will now try to challenge your centre or develop quickly. Your small edge (+0.37, a slight advantage for White) comes from having a solid pawn structure and active pieces. You are slightly better here, but you still need to play accurately — Black has several respectable ways to continue.
The Engine's Choice: Nf6
Stockfish's top recommendation is 4...Nf6, developing the knight and attacking your bishop. After 5.Nf3 Black usually plays 5...a6 (to prevent Bb5 ideas) and then 6.O-O follows naturally. This line leads to normal, positional chess where your extra central control matters. In the database, 4...Nf6 appears in 652,131 games — by far the most popular reply. White scores 52.6% from this position, a solid winning percentage. Don't be surprised if you see this move most often.
Watch Out for Bb4+
The second-most popular reply is 4...Bb4+, checking your king and developing with tempo. This has been played 246,505 times, and White scores an impressive 57.4% — the highest win rate against any major reply. You can block the check simply with 5.Bd2 (or 5.Nc3), and after Black trades bishops or retreats, you keep your small edge. If you haven't prepared this line, no worries: the natural developing move Bd2 is fine and leaves you with a pleasant game. The statistics show that club players often mishandle the Black side of this check, so you should welcome it.
The One Mistake to Punish
The database and engine agree that 4...c6 is a clear inaccuracy. It loses roughly 0.6 pawns in evaluation — a nontrivial slip. Black probably wants to play ...b5 to kick your bishop and expand on the queenside, but 4...c6 is too slow. Instead, the engine says Black should have played 4...a6 first. After 4...c6, you can continue with standard development (5.Nf3 or 5.Nc3) and enjoy an even larger advantage than normal. Only 114,660 games feature this move, and White wins 54.2% — not disastrous for Black, but you should feel confident facing it.
Results across 1,769,716 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 652,131 | 52.6% |
| Bb4+ | 246,505 | 57.4% |
| Nc6 | 239,615 | 55.6% |
| a6 | 141,581 | 50.7% |
| c6 | 114,660 | 54.2% |
| c5 | 87,436 | 50.5% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old Variation e6?
It is the line starting 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 e6 4.Bxc4. White recaptures the pawn with the bishop and builds a solid centre. The engine gives White a small edge of +0.37, meaning you have a slight advantage.
How do I respond to 4...Bb4+ in the Queen's Gambit Accepted?
Block the check with 5.Bd2 or 5.Nc3. Both are fine developing moves. White scores 57.4% after 4...Bb4+, so this check is actually good news for you — many Black players struggle to equalise from here.
Is 4...c6 a mistake for Black?
Yes, it is classified as an inaccuracy. It loses about 0.6 pawns compared to the better move a6. White scores 54.2% after c6, so you should be happy to see it and continue developing naturally.
What is the most common move for Black after 4.Bxc4?
The most common move is 4...Nf6, played over 650,000 times in the database. White scores 52.6% after this, so it's a solid but not dangerous reply for Black. Just play 5.Nf3 and prepare to castle.