QGD 4...c5
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!?
This is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, the main moves being 4...Nbd7 and especially 4...Be7.
5.cxd5 cxd4
This continuation is known as the Dutch Gambit, whereas 5...Qb6!? is the Peruvian Gambit, which has largely fallen from favour.
6.Qxd4 Be7
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| How should White proceed? |
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7.Nf3
The main line in Mega25 runs 7.e4 Nc6 8.Qd2, and now 8...Nxd5!? and 8...Nxe4 are equally popular. When I reached the position more than 30 years ago in John Quinn (187 BCF) - Spanton (161 BCF), Metropolitan (London) 1993, I played 8...Nxd5!?, the game continuing 9.exd5 Bxg5 10.f4 Bh4+ 11.g3 exd5 12.gxh4 Qxh4+ 13.Qf2 Qe7+ 14.Qe2 Be6 15.Nf3 d4 16.Ne4?! (Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon 16.f5!? is a major improvement) 0-0?! (a novelty that still does not appear in Mega25) 17.Kf2, when Black's compensation for being a knight down is two pawns and the safer king - probably not enough (but 0-1, 36 moves).
7...exd5 8.e3 0-0 9.Bd3!?
Much more popular is 9.Be2, but the engines are happy with the text.
9...Nc6 10.Qf4!?
This seems to be a novelty, and is liked by the engines, along with 10.Qa4. Most popular in Mega25, albeit from a small sample size, is 10.Qh4?!, when the engines reckon 10...h6 gives Black the advantage, but play is complicated - I have played 10...h6 three times, beating an unrated, drawing with a much higher-rated opponent, and losing to a much lower-rated one.
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| How should Black respond to the game's apparent-novelty? |
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10...Re8
The engines suggest 10...h6!? and 10...Be6. One point about the former is that 11.Bxh6? fails to 11...Nh5, forcing the white queen away from the kingside, after which Black can play 12...gxh6 in safety.
11.0-0 Be6 12.Rac1 Qa5
Still playable is ...h6!?
13.Qh4 h6
More-or-less forced.
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| What should White play? |
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14.Bxh6!?
Black is slightly better after 14.Bxf6 Bxf6.
14...gxh6 15.Qxh6 Ne4
Black also holds the balance with 15...Qd8, according to the engines.
16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Bxe4 Bf5 18.b4!?
Possibly slightly better is the engines' 18.Rc4!?
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| How should Black proceed? |
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18...Nxb4??
Unguarding the queen loses in a simple manner. Correct is 18...Bxb4, when 19.Qg5+ Bg6 20.Bxg6 Qxg5 21.Bxf7+ Kxf7 22.Nxg5+ gives a late-middlegame in which White has four connected passed pawns, and the safer king, but materially Black has a bishop for three pawns. Dragon1 calls it equal, but Stockfish17 gives Black a slight edge, and in any case the position is very difficult to play for both sides.
19.Qh5
White wins back the piece, emerging two pawns up and with a continuing attack against an exposed king.
19...Bf6 20.Bxf5 Qxa2
This reduces the material deficit, but White's attack is too strong.
21.Ng5 Re7 22.Nh7 Bg7 23.Rfd1
White has not found the very best moves, according to the engines, but nevertheless is the equivalent of almost a rook ahead.
23...Rae8 24.Qg5 Nd5?! 25.Rxd5! Qb2
If 25...Qxd5 then 26.Nf6+ etc.
The game finished:
26.Rcd1 f6 27.Qg6 Qb6 28.h4 Kh8 29.Rd6 Qc7 30.h5 Rg8 31.Nxf6 Bxf6 32.Qxf6+ Rgg7 33.Rd8+ 1-0
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