Alatortsev Variation - Queen’s Gambit Declined Theory
♘ Follow me on lichess (write, ask, challenge): @hpy
😎 Become a Patron (extra daily content): www.patreon.com/hangingpawns
💲 Support the channel: www.paypal.me/HangingPawns
The Queen’s Gambit Declined is the most popular way to fight the attempt by white to give up (gambit) his c4 pawn. It has been played by top masters since the 19th century, and it will never lose popularity due to its solidity, flexibility, and the amount of different options it gives to black.
In this video I have covered the Alatortsev Variation, also known as the Charousek or the Petrosian Variation, depending on where you look. It is an extremely flexible and transpositional opening system for black which can enter several main line defenses in the QGD, such as the Tartakower, but it has independent lines as well. It starts with 3. Be7, preparing to castle as soon as possible, and making the pin with Bg5 less effective in advance.
By not developing the knight to f6, black is preventing the annoying Bg5 pin, which comes naturally in many QGD variations.
On the highest levels, the Alatortsev is more popular than on the club level. This is probably due to the flexibility and subtlety of the opening and the options it provides, which very strong players can use and appreciate to try and outplay one another.
For an introduction to the Queen’s Gambit Declined, watch this video on the basics: youtu.be/CMy65JeSShw
#chess