Tree path 4 levels Queen's Pawn Game › Queen's Gambit › Queen's Gambit Accepted › Old Variation
D20

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old Variation

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Overview

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old Variation is a sacrificial opening line filed under ECO D20 in the Closed & Semi-Closed Games group. The defining idea is the early concession of material to seize the initiative and unbalance the position.

The Closed & Semi-Closed Games group covers closed and semi-closed games — 1.d4 systems characterised by long strategic manoeuvring rather than early tactics.

Play reaches this position via 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3, after 5 plies of opening development.

In the opening tree, this line branches off from Queen's Gambit Accepted, part of the broader Queen's Pawn Game system.

5 named variations grow from this line, including Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Russian Gambit, Billinger Gambit, Christensen Gambit, and others.

Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.

ECO code
D20
Group
Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
Plies
5
Parent
Queen's Gambit Accepted
Direct variations
5

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

5,672,304 games · White 55.7% / Draw 4.8% / Black 39.5%

MovesGamesW / D / B
Nf61,326,163
b5914,253
e6913,131
e5729,616
Bf5444,099
Nc6252,916
Be6248,924
c5217,412

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:14:41

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Variations (5)