Opening · D06–D69 · plays as White

Queen's Gambit

1. d4 d5 2. c4

Offer a wing pawn to own the centre, then squeeze for the rest of the game.

CHARACTER · STRATEGIC · LONG GAMES

Watch

This opening, explained.

Read three pawn formations and let them tell you which side of the board to play on.

Positional Notes · Intermediate

Three games where nothing dramatic happens and the position is somehow already lost by move thirty.

Positional Notes · Intermediate

Great games

BOBBY FISCHER vs BORIS SPASSKY · 1–0

Fischer opened 1. c4 for the first time in his life, played a flawless positional game, and Spassky applauded when it ended.

World Championship, Reykjavík

JOSÉ RAÚL CAPABLANCA vs FRANK MARSHALL · 1–0

No fireworks. Capablanca traded into an endgame that was technically won ten moves before anyone else saw it.

New York

Players

1888–1942 · Effortless clarity

The endgame machine who made winning look like tidying up. Studying Capablanca teaches simplification.

1990– · Endless pressure

Wins from positions other players agree are drawn, mostly by refusing to stop playing.

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