1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.0-0 a6 7.Qe2 b5 8.Bb3 Bb7 opens the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Alekhine System, Main Line, ECO D29. Lichess records 10,241 games in this line, which gives us a reliable view of how it actually performs in practice.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Alekhine System. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Boris Chatalbashev (8 games), Wolfgang Uhlmann (7 games), Vladimir Burmakin (7 games). Black-side regulars include Milan Drasko (9 games), Herman Pilnik (8 games), Matthias Krallmann (8 games).
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
What players actually play after the opening moves depends heavily on rating. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is Rd1, played 58.3% of the time. There are 2 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 100% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 0.98. By 2500, Rd1 dominates at 74.6% of replies; only 4 viable alternatives remain and 94.2% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.24. Move diversity stays high even at master level, suggesting the opening doesn't force one specific response.
Common Mistakes
- Neglecting development — It can feel productive to make extra pawn moves early, but falling behind in piece development is what loses most amateur games — especially in open positions where active pieces find squares fast.
- Overextending the attack — Gambits look like permission to throw everything forward. They aren't — every attacking move should improve a piece. Random checks and threats burn the initiative once they fail to coordinate.
Practice on Chessiverse
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