Queen's Gambit Accepted
D20–D29Black1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4
D20–D29 · 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4
The idea
Black accepts the gambit pawn on c4 — but the point is not greed. The captured pawn is hard to hold, so Black treats it as a loan: grab it, develop the pieces freely, and hand it back at the right moment in exchange for an easy, active game and the freeing ...c5 break.
Your plan (Black)
Don't cling to the extra pawn — develop quickly, complete kingside castling, and strike at White's centre with a well-timed ...c5 (and often ...a6 to gain queenside space), giving the pawn back for free play.
Heading into the middlegame
The QGA's golden rule: don't be greedy — the c4-pawn is a loan, not a prize. Give it back, develop fast (...Nf6, ...e6, ...Be7, ...O-O), and hit the centre with ...c5. Gain queenside space with ...a6 and ...b5 to kick White's c4-bishop, then fianchetto with ...Bb7. Once you've traded ...cxd4 and freed your game, you get easy, active piece play against White's slightly loose centre. Clinging to the pawn (an early ...b5 to defend c4) just loses time and walks into a4/b3 hits.
Lines
0/2 masteredYou take the c4-pawn as a loan, develop fast, then break with ...c5 and expand with ...a6 and ...b5 to chase White's bishop and free your game.
When White grabs the whole centre with e4, hit back at once with ...e5; trade on d4 and develop quickly to pressure White's loose central pawns.