Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old Variation with Nc6 – Your Guide as White

After 4.Bxc4, White has a classical centre with pawns on d4 and e3, a well-placed bishop eyeing the kingside, and natural development squares. Black's knight on c6 pressures your d4-pawn, but that knight can also become a target if you push forward. The key tension in this position is whether Black can challenge your centre quickly or whether they fall into passive setups. The engine's preferred continuation — e5, followed by Nf3 and Bb4+ — shows that White wants to seize space immediately and force Black to react. Your light-squared bishop is a weapon here: it targets f7 and can join an attack if Black castles short.

While many club players instinctively develop a knight or protect the centre, Stockfish points to a more aggressive plan: 5.e5. This advance gains space, chases Black's knight away from c6 eventually, and opens lines. The engine's full line continues 5...Nf3 Bb4+ Nc3, building a strong pawn centre while developing with tempo. You don't have to memorise this exact sequence — the point is that pushing e5 early is a principled way to cash in on your slight advantage. When you play the interactive drill below, try this move and see how the engine responds.

Black has several respectable options, and the statistics show you score well against all of them. Here is what you need to know about the big three: - Nf6 (433,132 games): Black develops and challenges your centre. White scores 55.0% here. Continue developing naturally — Nf3 and 0-0 are solid, keeping the e5 push in mind. - e6 (316,158 games): Black solidifies their centre but gives up the bishop's diagonal. White scores 54.3%. You can play Nf3 and prepare to develop, keeping your light-squared bishop active. - Bf5 (211,746 games): Black develops the bishop outside the pawn chain. White scores 55.2%. Continue with Nf3 and natural development — your bishop on c4 remains a powerful piece pointing at the kingside. In every case, your winning percentage stays above 54%, confirming you are the one pressing.

From this position, one move is a clear error: 5...Be6. Across 65,592 games, Black plays this hoping to trade off your powerful bishop. But the engine says this loses roughly 1.4 pawns — and White scores a whopping 57.8% after it. The reason is simple: allowing or provoking this bishop trade leaves Black with a damaged pawn structure and White ahead in development with a perfect centre. If your opponent tries this, respond energetically and enjoy the long-term structural advantage.