Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5

ECO D20

The Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense is a chess opening line in the Queen's Gambit Accepted complex, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5.

It is catalogued under code D20 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move e5 is chosen by Black on move 3.

One named continuation branches from this position: the Somov Gambit.

The Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense is a line of the Queen's Gambit Accepted. The Queen's Gambit Accepted is a chess opening that begins 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4. Read the complete Queen's Gambit Accepted guide: what it is, how to reach it, its main variations, how to play against it, and its history.

Named variations

• Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense, Somov Gambit — ECO D20

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the Beat the Queen's Gambit Accepted course: a GM-authored repertoire you study move by move, then practice against a human-like AI opponent.

Every chess term used here is defined in the chess terms glossary. Browse all opening courses or the full ECO code index.