Queen's Gambit: Fins's plans

• At a glance

  Queen's Gambit: Fins's plans

  198 games, 59.8%: Fins's Queen's Gambit, often via 1.Nf3 and 2.d4. Bg5, the exchange on d5, and structures he knows by heart.

  17 cards, one idea each. Swipe to move on.

• The big idea

  Your games: 118× · you score 60%

  Fins often reaches the Queen's Gambit via 1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4, or directly with 1.d4 and 2.c4.

• The big idea

  Your games: 50× · you score 64%

  Against …e6, he chooses between 4.Bg5 and 4.Nc3; against …dxc4, he wins the pawn back with e3 and Bxc4.

• The big idea

  198 games, 59.8%. His moves stay very close to Stockfish's: the gaps are measured in hundredths of a pawn.

• The big idea

  So this course doesn't hunt for disputed moves; it shows the structures Fins ends up in and the plans that go with them.

• The big idea

  Your games: 10× · you score 30%

  Six chapters: the Orthodox Defense with …b6, the Qa4+ check against 4…dxc4, the Ragozin, the exchange against …c6, the Carlsbad structure with the minority attack, and the Queen's Gambit Accepted.

• Principle

  The bishop comes out before e3

  Your games: 50× · you score 64%

  Bg5 pins the f6 knight before e3 shuts in the c1 bishop. The bishop stays active, and Black has to settle on a plan right away.

• Principle

  Exchange on d5 to fix the structure

  Your games: 20× · you score 52%

  cxd5 exd5 gives a well-known structure: Black's d5 pawn is fixed, and White knows where to put the pieces.

• Principle

  The minority attack

  In the Carlsbad structure, White's a- and b-pawns advance against Black's three queenside pawns. b4-b5 creates a weakness on c6 or d5.

• Principle

  Win the c4 pawn back with tempo

  Your games: 9× · you score 33%

  Against …dxc4, Qa4+ or e3 followed by Bxc4 recovers the pawn. White keeps the center and the development.

• Principle

  The queen on c2 against the c8 bishop

  Your games: 8× · you score 31%

  After the exchange on d5, Qc2 prevents …Bf5. Black's c8 bishop, the problem piece in this structure, no longer has a good square.

• Imbalance

  Hanging pawns against pieces

  In the …b6 line, Black often gets the c5 and d5 pawns side by side. They hold the center; White attacks them with pieces.

• Imbalance

  Two bishops against structure

  Your games: 4× · you score 50%

  In the Ragozin, Bxf6 gives Black the bishop pair. White keeps a healthier structure and central squares.

• Imbalance

  Central majority against queenside minority

  Your games: 20× · you score 52%

  In the Carlsbad structure, White has one more pawn in the center and one fewer on the queenside. White plays with the minority; Black looks for play on the kingside.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • Stable structures where the plans are known in advance.
  • Moves close to Stockfish's at every step.
  • A choice of move order: 1.Nf3 limits Black's options.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • The positions stay close to equal: the game has to be won in the middlegame.
  • Against the Ragozin, Black gets the bishop pair.
  • Against 4…dxc4, Black gets simple, free positions.
• That's all

  Your turn

  These ideas only stick once you play the moves. The chapters make you find the right ones.

  Start chapter 1

Card 1 of 17: Queen's Gambit: Fins's plans

Use the left and right arrow keys to change cards.