Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense

How do you reach the Classical Defense?

The Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5. Along the way the game passes through Queen's Pawn Game → Queen's Gambit → Queen's Gambit Accepted → Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation → Queen's Gambit Accepted → Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation → Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation, Traditional System → Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, which is why you will see those names on the way into it. Transpositions reaching the same position by a different move order are counted as the same opening on this page.

What do club players choose at the decision point?

One move earlier, 472 club games reached the position where the Classical Defense is chosen. This is what players rated 1200–2200 actually played:

How does play continue from here?

From 52 club games at 1200–2200, Lichess, July 2026.

The main line, move by move

1. 1. d4 — the position is now the Queen's Pawn Game
2. 1... d5 — the position is now the Queen's Pawn Game
3. 2. c4 — the position is now the Queen's Gambit
4. 2... dxc4 — the position is now the Queen's Gambit Accepted
5. 3. Nf3 — the position is now the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation
6. 3... Nf6 — the position is now the Queen's Gambit Accepted
7. 4. e3 — the position is now the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation
8. 4... e6 — the position is now the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation, Traditional System
9. 5. Bxc4
10. 5... c5 — the position is now the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense

Related openings: Queen's Gambit Declined · Slav Defense

Data updated 9 August 2026. Game sample: Lichess July 2026, rating band 1200–2200. Opening names and lines: lichess-org/chess-openings (CC0).