Library/Openings/Queen's Gambit Accepted/Central Variation/McDonnell Defense ECO D20
Opening· 6 plies

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO D20), reached after 6 half-moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5.

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense ECO D20
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Black rook
Black knight
Black bishop
Black queen
Black king
Black bishop
Black knight
Black rook
Black pawn
Black pawn
Black pawn
Black pawn
Black pawn
Black pawn
Black pawn
Black pawn
White pawn
White pawn
White pawn
White pawn
White pawn
White pawn
White pawn
White rook
White knight
White bishop
White queen
White king
White bishop
White knight
White rook
6/6
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  5. 3.
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About this opening

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code D20. ECO group D (D00–D99) covers closed games and semi-closed games beginning 1.d4 d5, covering the Queen's Gambit, Slav, Grünfeld and related queen-pawn structures. This particular variation is reached after 6 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5.

It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Accepted family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Central Variation → McDonnell Defense line).

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.d4 d5, 2.c4 dxc4, 3.e4 e5. From this position exactly one named continuation is recorded in the encyclopaedia.