Starting from 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3, players enter the Queen's Gambit Accepted: 1.d4 d5 2.c4... 4.Nc3 — ECO D24. Lichess records 2,191,280 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: 1.d4 d5 2.c4... Nf6. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Aleksandr Veingold (15 games), Vyacheslav Ikonnikov (15 games), Gennadi Sosonko (14 games). Black-side regulars include Robert Huebner (22 games), Yuri Yakovich (17 games), Jordi Magem Badals (17 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
Popularity and results vary sharply by rating level. The 1200 bracket has 324,829 games (0.05% of all games at that level); White wins 56.2%, Black 40.1%, 3.7% are drawn. Move up to 1800 Elo and the share shifts to 0.05%, with White winning 55.1% versus Black's 40.3%. At the top end (2500+ Elo), popularity is 0.06% with 9.2% draws — a clear sign of how much theory rules the line at master level. White's edge erodes by 10.7pp from 1200 to 2500 Elo, suggesting Black's counterplay is easier to find with experience.
Time Control Patterns
Time control matters here: bullet players reach for this opening more than others. In bullet, it appears in 0.08% of games (2,208,675); White wins 55.4%. Blitz shows 0.05% adoption across 1,785,878 games, White scoring 54.9%. In rapid, the share rises to 0.04% — 401,054 games, White 56.4%.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
What players actually play after the opening moves depends heavily on rating. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is Nc6, played 30% of the time. There are 4 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 72.5% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.74. By 2500, a6 dominates at 57.9% of replies; only 3 viable alternatives remain and 90.3% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.80. That entropy collapse is the signature of a line where preparation pays off: at the top, players know the best move and play it.
Historical Trends
Tracking the Queen's Gambit Accepted: 1.d4 d5 2.c4... 4.Nc3 year over year shows a clear story. Adoption peaked in 2019 at 0.05% (155,438 games). By 2025 it sits at 0.04% — a 6% shift overall, leaving the line flat.
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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