A trendy queen move

Yago Santiago recommends 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Qc2!?

These days, the line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7!? is very popular among the adherents of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The knight move has given Black solidity and flexibility. So, recently I decided to look for a 'more hidden'' idea for White to be able to surprise with lesser-known positions. That's when I found the move 5.Qc2!? (a trendy concept these days in this kind of structure). After hours of analysis, and realizing that the line is good and can be used several times (sustainability!), it is with great satisfaction that I share the result of this work in this article with you, my dear readers!

So, here we go: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Qc2!?.

The main idea of the queen move is to gain control of the centre with the pawn advance to e4. Now let´s analyse the three main answers in this position: A) 5...dxc4, B) 5...Bb4 and C) 5...Be7.

A) 5...dxc4

Capturing is the most critical and challenging answer. There follows 6.e4 c5 (6...Nb6!? 7.Be3 Bb4 8.Be2 Bd7 9.Ne5 Qe7 10.a4! a5 11.0-0 gave White good compensation in the game Wojtaszek,R - Heberla,B 1-0) 7.Bxc4 cxd4 (7...a6?! 8.d5! Nb6 was played in Aronian,L - Hou,Y 1-0 and now instead of Aronian's 9.Be2, even stronger is 9.b3!N exd5 10.exd5 Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Bf4! with a a strong initiative for White thanks to the supported d-passer) 8.Nxd4.

Now Black needs to make the next decision: A1) 8...Ne5, A2) 8...Bc5 or A3) 8...a6.

A1) 8...Ne5

The best move for Black in my opinion, but not an easy one. 9.Bb5+! Bd7 10.Bf4!? Ng6! (10...Bxb5?! 11.Bxe5! Bd7 12.0-0-0! with great initiative for White) 11.Bg3 Bb4!. Again Black needs to be precise (11...Be7? 12.0-0-0 0-0 13.h4! h5 14.e5! Nd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Kb1 with a clear advantage for White.) 12.0-0 0-0 13.Rfd1 Bxc3 14.bxc3.

The position is objectively equal here, but I believe that Black has practical problems in facing the activity of the white pieces, as I show in the notes on the game Aronian,L - Firouzja,A 1-0.

A2) 8...Bc5

I believe that with precises moves White can get very pleasant play in this line. 9.Nb3! Bb6 (9...Bb4 was played in Koneru,H - Mkrtchyan,M ½-½, but after 10.0-0 0-0 11.Rd1!N Qc7 12.Nb5 Qc6 13.Bd3!? Qxc2 14.Bxc2 the endgame is very pleasant to play with White, thanks to their better piece arrangement on the board), and now my recommendation is 10.Qe2!N - White can use a few tempi to gain space in the centre, and only then castle (10.0-0, played in Giri,A - Anand,V ½-½, is less dangerous for Black). 10...0-0 (10...Ne5 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Bf4! Bc7 13.0-0-0! and again White has the initiative) 11.e5! Nd5! 12.0-0 Qc7 13.Bxd5 exd5 14.Bf4

with a better position for White, thanks to their space and development advantage, see annotations on Giri,A - Anand,V ½-½.

A3) 8...a6

The engine gives this natural move as one of its top choices, but I believe that in practice it is already a mistake! 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Qe2 (10.Be2!? is an interesting try) 10...Bc5 11.Nf3!. In this line it is important to play for the advance e5. 11...Bd6! (11...b5?! 12.Bb3! b4 13.Na4 Bb7 14.e5! Nd5 15.Bd2! and Black has big problems to solve, as in the game Mrkvickova,A - Beltran Seguer,J 1-0) and now my suggestion is 12.Rd1!?.

I believe this move poses big practical problems for Black to solve. 12...Ne5! (12...0-0?? 13.Rxd6! Qxd6 14.e5+-) 13.Bb5+! Nfd7!. Once again, Black needs only-moves to hold the position (13...axb5? 14.Nxb5 Nxf3+ 15.Kh1!! - the killer move - 15...Ne5! 16.Nxc7+ Bxc7 17.Qc2 Nc6 18.Be3 and White is almost winning here). 14.Nd4!? 0-0 15.Ba4 Ng6 16.g3 Bc5 17.Be3.

After all, the engine indicates equality, but I still believe that White's game is easier here. The a-rook goes to c1, and Black will have to answer some questions about their queen and bishop on the c-file, see annotations on Mrkvickova,A - Beltran Seguer,J 1-0.

B) 5...Bb4

6.g3!? is my recommendation here. 6...dxc4 7.Bg2 c6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Rd1 and here we come to a kind of Semi-Slav structure where the black bishop on b4 is not well placed. 9...Be7 (The first engine choice) 10.e4! b5 11.d5!.

This energetic action in the centre poses Black big practical problems. 11...cxd5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Rxd5 Bb7? (14...Rb8!N is the only move for Black here, when after 15.a4!? bxa4 16.Rxa4 Qe8 17.Bf4 Rb7 18.Rd1 White has good compensation for the sacrificed pawn) 15.Rxb5

and White is simply much better here, as we see in the game Ter Sahakyan,S - Petrosyan,M 1-0.

C) 5...Be7

6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bf4 c6 8.h3!.

Now we are in an improved version of the Carlsbad structure, where the bishop on f4 is better placed than on g5. After our last move, clearing the retreat square h2, it can no longer be harassed. 8...0-0 9.e3 Re8 10.Bd3 g6 11.0-0 Nf8 12.Rab1 a5 13.a3 Ne6 14.Be5 Bd6 15.b4 axb4 16.axb4

and White has a pleasant advantage as in the game Melkumyan,H - Sardana,R 1-0.

Conclusion: This idea 5.Qc2!? is perfect for surprising the opponent and quickly posing them difficult decisions to make. Also, as we saw in the article, the line is sustainable enough to be played several times, since practice has not made it clear what the best reaction for Black is. So - good luck with 5.Qc2!? in your games, dear readers!