Chess opening · ECO D06
Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall Defense
In the Marshall Defense, Black answers the Queen's Gambit by developing the king's knight instead of supporting d5 with a pawn. The knight does guard d5, but if White trades with cxd5 and Black recaptures with the knight, that piece stands in front of White's center, where e4 can attack it.
- Rank by weighted share
- #92 of 159
Key moves
1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6
- 2... Nf6Black brings out a piece and adds a second guard to d5, but no pawn backs it up. If White takes on d5, Black must recapture with the knight or queen, and both pieces can be chased with gain of time.
The point of cxd5
After 3.cxd5, a queen recapture runs into 4.Nc3, which hits the queen and develops at the same time. A knight recapture lets White play e4, which kicks the knight and builds a two-pawn center on d4 and e4.
Black then has to fight that center with pieces and with breaks like ...c5 or ...e5. The game takes on a different character from the usual Queen's Gambit, with White holding the extra central space.
3.Nc3 and a shift into other openings
Below 2000 the table is led by plain development with Nc3. If Black follows with ...e6, the position is a normal Queen's Gambit Declined; after ...c6 it becomes a Slav. So in practice the Marshall move order often leads somewhere else.
Top replies by rating
Nc3 leads every band from 1200 to 1999 by a wide margin. At 2000 and up cxd5 moves into first place.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | Nc3 28% | Nf3 23% | e3 20% |
| 1200–1399 | Nc3 47% | e3 15% | cxd5 15% |
| 1400–1599 | Nc3 53% | e3 13% | cxd5 12% |
| 1600–1799 | Nc3 55% | cxd5 17% | e3 11% |
| 1800–1999 | Nc3 54% | cxd5 27% | e3 9% |
| 2000 and up | cxd5 50% | Nc3 43% | Nf3 5% |
Questions
How does this differ from the Queen's Gambit Declined?
In the Declined, ...e6 means a pawn will retake on d5 if White captures there. In the Marshall, only pieces can recapture, which is what gives White the cxd5 and e4 plan.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.