Queen's Gambit Declined

Lasker Defense (7...Ne4)

With ...Ne4 Black exchanges two pairs of minor pieces and eases the position. Then it frees the c8 Bishop with ...dxc4 and ...b6 or ...e5.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 h6 7.Bh4 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.cxd5 Nxc3 10.bxc3 exd5 11.Qb3 Rd8 12.c4 dxc4 13.Bxc4 Nc6

Move by move

  1. 1.d4 – White takes the center with the queen's pawn and opens the diagonal for the c1 Bishop. It usually continues with c4 to attack the d5 pawn.
  2. 1...d5 – Black contests the center with a pawn and prevents e4. This is the basis of the Queen's Gambit Declined: d5 will be defended at all costs.
  3. 2.c4 – The Queen's Gambit: White attacks d5 with the c-pawn to draw it away from the center. If we took it, White would regain the pawn with e3 and Bxc4.
  4. 2...e6 – Black declines the gambit and supports d5 with the e-pawn: a rock-solid structure. The price is the c8 Bishop shut in behind e6, the problem to be solved throughout the course.
  5. 3.Nc3 – The Knight attacks d5 a second time and controls e4. Black must add a defender to the central pawn.
  6. 3...Nf6 – The Knight defends d5 a second time, controls e4 and prepares short castling. It is Black's most natural development.
  7. 4.Bg5 – The Bishop pins the f6 Knight to the Queen and reduces its control of d5 and e4. Black must break the pin.
  8. 4...Be7 – Black breaks the pin in the simplest way and prepares castling. Now an exchange on f6 is recaptured with the Bishop.
  9. 5.e3 – White opens the f1 Bishop's diagonal and consolidates d4. Its position is solid, but the g5 Bishop has no target yet.
  10. 5...O-O – The King is safe and the f8 Rook connects. Black can now think about how to free the c8 Bishop.
  11. 6.Nf3 – White develops the Knight toward the center, controls e5 and prepares Rc1 or Bd3.
  12. 6...h6 – Black asks the Bishop to decide: Bxf6 gives up the bishop pair, Bh4 keeps the pin but moves the piece away. The h6 pawn also gives the King air.
  13. 7.Bh4 – The Bishop keeps the pin on f6. Black can now choose between ...b6 (Tartakower) and ...Ne4 (Lasker).
  14. 7...Ne4 – Lasker's move: the Knight jumps to e4 and offers an exchange of Bishops and Knights. Fewer pieces means fewer space problems for Black.
  15. 8.Bxe7 – White exchanges the dark-squared Bishops: after Bg3 Black would exchange the e4 Knight for the Bishop. Now the Queen must recapture.
  16. 8...Qxe7 – The Queen recaptures on e7, where it controls the e7-b4 diagonal and defends f7. Black prepares ...Nxc3.
  17. 9.cxd5 – White exchanges on d5 before the Knight exchange, to recapture with the c-pawn toward the center.
  18. 9...Nxc3 – Black exchanges the c3 Knight: the second exchange of minor pieces. Black's position is now much freer.
  19. 10.bxc3 – White recaptures with the pawn: it has a stronger center but somewhat scattered pawns. The b-file opens for the Queen.
  20. 10...exd5 – Black recaptures on d5 and opens the c8-h3 diagonal for the Bishop, which can finally develop.
  21. 11.Qb3 – The Queen attacks d5 and puts b7 under fire: the c8 Bishop must stay to defend it for now.
  22. 11...Rd8 – The Rook defends d5 and occupies the d-file, where it will press on d4 if the center opens.
  23. 12.c4 – White attacks d5 a second time and gets rid of the weak c3 pawn.
  24. 12...dxc4 – Black gives up the center but opens the d-file against the d4 pawn, which after the recapture will be isolated.
  25. 13.Bxc4 – White regains the pawn with the Bishop, which forms a battery with the Queen on b3 against f7.
  26. 13...Nc6 – The Knight comes out toward the center and attacks d4 together with the d8 Rook. Black has an active position with no weaknesses.

How to exploit the position

White has the isolated d4 pawn; Black has the d-file, no weaknesses and three pawns against one on the queenside.

Master tips

Exchange to free yourself

When you have less space, piece exchanges reduce the problem: after ...Ne4 Black has fewer pieces to place.

Model games