Queen's Gambit Accepted

The Queen's Gambit Accepted begins when Black answers the Queen's Gambit by moving the d5-pawn to c4 and capturing White's pawn. Accepted describes that capture. It does not mean Black can safely keep the pawn forever or has already won lasting material.

Accepting the gambit does not guarantee keeping the pawn

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Startdxc4e3Nf6Bxc4

2...dxc4 moves the d5-pawn to c4 and accepts White's offer.

Black can capture; White already has two central plans

The capture gains temporary material but removes Black's only pawn occupying the center.

1. 2...dxc4 moves the d5-pawn to c4 and accepts White's offer.
2. e3 followed by Bxc4 forms one connected plan to open the bishop's diagonal and recover the pawn.
3. 3.e4 is a distinct alternative: it prioritizes a broad center before recovering the material.

By removing the pawn from d5, Black gives White more central space. White commonly prepares to recover the pawn with e3 and then moves the bishop from f1 to c4, or builds a broad center with e4. Black uses the time White spends recovering the pawn to develop, meaning to move pieces from their starting squares to useful posts, and to challenge the d4-pawn with advances such as ...c5 or ...e5.