Queen's Gambit Declined 4...c5
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!?
There are 1,043 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, which scores five percentage points better than the chief continuation 4...Be7.
5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Be7 7.Nf3!?
The main line in Mega25 runs 7.e4 Nc6 8.Qd2, followed by the equally popular 8...Nxd5!? and 8...Nxe4!? However Stockfish17 and Dragon1 prefer 8...exd5!?, when 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.exd5 Ne5 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Bxd7+ Qxd7 leaves White a pawn up, but the engines agree Black is close to having full compensation.
7...exd5 8.e3 0-0 9.Be2 Nc6 10.Qa4 Be6 11.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Quite often the key to such IQP positions, or at least a major factor, is who controls the d4 square. Here that is not yet clear, which may be why the engines reckon the game is completely equal.
11...Qb6 12.Qc2!?
This may be a novelty. Dmitry Gurevich twice won with 12.Qb5 in a Chess.com online blitz tournament in 2023, although the engines reckon Black is fine after both 12...Qxb5 and 12...h6!?
12...Rac8 13.Rfd1 Rfd8 14.Rac1 h6 15.Bf4 d4
Black is slightly better after both 15...Nh5 and 15...Ne4, according to the engines.
16.exd4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Rxd4 18.Rxd4 Qxd4 19.Be3 Qe5 20.Bxa7
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| How should Black proceed? |
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20...Ne4!?
The game is equal after 20...Bxa2, but the engines suggest the somewhat surprising 20...b6!? The point is after 21.Bxb6 Bd6 22.g3 Black has 22...Nd5 23.Ba7 Rc7 24.Bb8 Rxc3 25.bxc3 Bxb8, when Black has bishop and knight (and the bishop-pair) for rook and two pawns, and a slight edge, according to the engines.
21.Bf3 Nxc3
This is enough for equality, but the engines give the sharp 21...Ng5!? 22.Bxb7!? Rc7 23.Bb8 Bd6 24.Bxc7 Qxh2+ 25.Kf1 Bc4+ 26.Ke1 Qg1+ 27.Kd2 Qxf2+ 28.Kd1, when Black has a perpetual, or can play on with 28...Qg1+ 29.Kd2 Qd4+ 30.Ke1 Bxc7!?, after which Black is the exchange down, but has the bishop-pair and much-the-safer king. It seems it should be a draw, but there is plenty of scope to go wrong.
22.bxc3 Bg5?!
Several continuations maintain equality, according to the engines, including 22...b5 and 22...Bd6 23.g3 Qa5.
23.Bd4 Qa5 24.Rb1 b5 25.Qb2 Bc4
Best, according to the engines, is 25...Bf6!?, eg 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.Qxb5 Qxc3 28.Qe2 Bc4 29.Qb2 Qxb2 30.Rxb2 Bxa2! However Dragon1 gives White a slight edge after 26.h3, although Stockfish17 disagrees.
26.Be2 Be7?
A better try is 26...Qxa2, but Black has nothing for a pawn after 27.Qxa2 Bxa2 28.Rxb5.
27.Bxc4 bxc4
Or 27... Rxc4 28.Qxb5 Qxa2 29.Re1, after which White will break the blockade on c4 and gradually advance the passer.
28.Qb7 Rc7?
The passive 28...Qd8 is better, but then comes 29.a4 etc.
29.Qb8+ Kh7 30.Bb6 1-0
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