Starting from 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4, players enter the Ragozin Variation: 1.d4 d5 2.c4... dxc4 — ECO D39. With 204,950 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Ragozin Variation. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Xiangzhi Bu (7 games), Babu MR Lalith (4 games), Liren Ding (4 games). Black-side regulars include Levon Aronian (14 games), Ventzislav Inkiov (12 games), Mladen Palac (9 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
How well the Ragozin Variation: 1.d4 d5 2.c4... dxc4 works depends on what level you're playing at. Among 1200-rated players, it appears in 0.00% of games — 18,700 of them on record — with White winning 58.7% and Black 37.9%. By 1800, popularity is 0.00% and White's score is 54% to Black's 41.5%. At 2500, 0.03% of games go into this opening; draws sit at 10.5% — the line is well-mapped at this level. White's edge erodes by 16.0pp from 1200 to 2500 Elo, suggesting Black's counterplay is easier to find with experience.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Move choice is far from uniform in the Ragozin Variation: 1.d4 d5 2.c4... dxc4. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is e3, played 45.8% of the time. There are 4 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 79.7% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.25. By 2500, e4 dominates at 55.1% of replies; only 3 viable alternatives remain and 92.8% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.78.
Common Mistakes
- Drifting away from main theory — At 400 Elo, theory adherence sits at 73.3% — versus 90.8% at 2000. The most popular deviation is a3 (played 10.6% of the time at 400, much less so up top). It looks fine but quietly hands the better-prepared side an edge.
- 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.
- Playing without a plan — Each Ragozin Variation: 1.d4 d5 2.c4... dxc4 middlegame demands a specific approach. Decide whether the position calls for attack, manoeuvre, or simplification before reaching for a move.
Practice on Chessiverse
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