Chess opening · ECO D38
Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense
The Ragozin Defense is reached when Black, already holding d5, plays 4...Bb4 instead of ...Be7. The bishop pins the c3 knight to the white king, so that knight no longer fully supports an e4 push. Black is ready to trade bishop for knight and saddle White with doubled c-pawns, and can also take on c4 at a good moment to open lines for the pieces.
- Rank by weighted share
- #158 of 159
Key moves
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4
- 3... d5Black puts a pawn on d5 after ...e6 has already opened the f8 bishop. That bishop can now go to e7 for a Queen's Gambit Declined or to b4 for the Ragozin, and the choice decides the character of the opening.
- 4... Bb4The bishop pins the knight on c3 against the king on e1. White has to reckon with ...Bxc3+ breaking up the queenside pawns and with ...dxc4 followed by pressure on the pinned knight.
Bg5 answers pin with pin
With the bishop gone from f8, the diagonal from g5 to d8 is empty except for the f6 knight. Bg5 therefore pins that knight to the queen, and Black often replies ...h6 to settle matters at once.
If White takes on f6, Black recaptures with the queen. White has given up a bishop, and Black's queen stands on f6 where it bears down on the d4 pawn along the diagonal.
The quieter e3 setup
e3 supports d4 and opens a path for the f1 bishop. In return the c1 bishop is shut in for a while, and Black can castle, trade on c4 when the bishop moves, and strike at the center with ...c5.
Giving up the bishop on f6
5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 O-O 8. Rc1 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5
White has traded a bishop for the f6 knight and developed quickly. Black castles, takes on c4 after White's rook move, and hits d4 with the c-pawn. The bishops on b4 and c4 are both active, and the d4 pawn is the point both sides fight over.
Top replies by rating
Bg5 leads every band. From 1400 up, e3 holds second place, and in the 1400 to 1599 band its share is nearly level with Bg5.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1200–1399 | Bg5 35% | Bd2 30% | e3 23% |
| 1400–1599 | Bg5 26% | e3 25% | Bd2 14% |
| 1600–1799 | Bg5 33% | e3 24% | Bd2 11% |
| 1800–1999 | Bg5 30% | e3 27% | a3 9% |
| 2000 and up | Bg5 40% | e3 31% | Qb3 10% |
Questions
How is this different from the Nimzo-Indian?
In the Nimzo-Indian, Black pins the c3 knight before deciding on the d-pawn. In the Ragozin, d5 is already in, so the pawn structure looks like a Queen's Gambit Declined while the bishop works from b4.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.