The central idea
The Queen's Gambit Declined keeps a strong pawn on d5 and accepts a temporary space disadvantage in exchange for structural resilience. White must decide how to build pressure without releasing Black too easily.
Typical plans
- Develop the c1 bishop and prepare the central break.
- For Black, solve the c8 bishop and challenge White's center.
- Use the d-file and queenside space after the central tension clarifies.
Common mistakes
- Locking in the c8 bishop without a release plan.
- Exchanging in the center without checking the resulting pawn structure.
- Ignoring development while defending the gambit pawn.