Chess Openings Lab
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Queen's Gambit Accepted: Gunsberg Defense

The Gunsberg Defense is 3.Nf3 c5, hitting d4 before Black develops any pieces. White can push d5 for space, take with e4 or Nc3, and often gets an early queen trade, while Black wants to keep the c4 pawn and exchange the center away.

Moves
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 c5
ECO
D21
Engine
+0.39 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
380 games in our lichess sample
White scores
57.0%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Push 4.d5, the engine's first choice, and build with e4 and Nc3 for a big space edge.
  • The 4.e4 line trades queens after ...cxd4 Qxd4, then Bxc4 gives White an easy lead in development.
  • Against ...exd5, recapture with the e-pawn and use the open e-file for the rooks.
  • Keep the c4 pawn as a target; Bxc4 should come with tempo or for free.

Black

  • Answer the d5 push with ...e6 and ...exd5 to break White's space-gaining pawn.
  • In the queen-trade lines, develop with ...Bd7 and ...Nc6 to cover the queenside.
  • Use ...Nf6 and ...Bd6 to fight for e5 and f4 and to prepare short castling.
  • Don't play more early pawn moves; the queenside needs pieces, not pawns.

Plans and pawn structure

The early ...c5 changes the center. After 4.d5 e6 5.e4 Nf6 6.Nc3 exd5 7.exd5 Bd6, White keeps a passed pawn on d5 and plays Bxc4 and castling, with a rook coming to the e-file. Black develops fast and puts pieces in front of d5. In the 4.e4 and 4.Nc3 lines, the queens come off early and White's lead in development matters in the endgame, where the c4 pawn usually falls and Black must cover the d-file.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.39: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.39 4.d5 e6 5.e4 Nf6 6.Nc3 exd5
  2. +0.30 4.e4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 Qxd4 6.Nxd4 Bd7
  3. +0.24 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Qxd4 Qxd4 6.Nxd4 e5

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

380 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 57.0%.

1200–159960.3%
1600–199957.3%
2000 and up57.8%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As White, play 4.d5 or 4.e4 and use quick development. As Black, avoid passivity: after d5, break with ...e6 and ...exd5, then develop to d6 and f6. Expect a queen trade if White takes on d4, so aim pieces at White's weak squares.

Questions

What are the moves of the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Gunsberg Defense?

The Queen's Gambit Accepted: Gunsberg Defense starts 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 c5. Its ECO code is D21.

Is the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Gunsberg Defense good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.39 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 380 lichess games from our sample, White scored 57.0%. A direct choice that suits Black players who like trading off the center, but it gives White an easy development edge, so accuracy is needed.

What is the main idea of the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Gunsberg Defense?

Black strikes d4 with ...c5 right away. White pushes d5 for space or takes with e4 or Nc3, often reaching an early queen trade where better development decides.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is d5, with e4 and Nc3 close behind. 4.d5 grabs space and asks Black to spend time breaking it with ...e6.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.