The Queen's Gambit, move by move

White offers a side pawn to win control of the centre. A favourite of world champions. You play White. Opening code D58.

1. 1. d4 Takes the centre with the queen's pawn, which the queen already guards.
2. 1… d5 Black stops e4 by claiming the centre too.
3. 2. c4 The gambit: White offers a wing pawn to pull Black's d-pawn away from the centre.
4. 2… e6 The Declined: Black keeps the pawn on d5 and opens a path for the f8 bishop.
5. 3. Nc3 Adds a third attacker to d5.
6. 3… Nf6 Guards d5 again and develops.
7. 4. Bg5 Pins the knight that guards d5 to the queen.
8. 4… Be7 Breaks the pin and gets ready to castle.
9. 5. e3 Opens a way out for the bishop on f1 and backs up d4.
10. 5… O-O Black castles to safety.
11. 6. Nf3 Develops the last minor piece toward the centre.
12. 6… h6 Asks the bishop to decide: trade or keep the pin.
13. 7. Bh4 White keeps the pin.
14. 7… b6 Black will put the light-squared bishop on b7. This is the Tartakower line.

The plan from here

Pressure d5, develop smoothly, and use the half-open c-file once the centre clears.