It’s time for Volume 2 of the Queen’s Gambit, covering complex lines that you will face in your tournament games when Black wants to surprise you using lines such as the Baltic, Austrian and Chigorin Defenses, the Albin Counter-Gambit, and the Stonewall.

Start your game the right way with the Queen’s Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4). The Queen’s Gambit is one of White’s very best options: Dynamic but secure, full of rich possibilities while giving White an element of control.

It’s no surprise that artificial intelligence chess engines like AlphaZero make it one of their preferred openings. In this second volume of his Deep Dive into the Queen’s Gambit, GM Damian Lemos covers the other variations you need to know about.

Discover innovative ways of dealing with the sharp Baltic (2…Bf5) and Symmetrical (2…c5) Defenses, the tricky Albin Counter-Gambit (2…e5), the positional Chigorin (2…Nc6), as well as Black’s popular transition to the Stonewall Dutch (2…e6 3.Nc3 f5).

GM Lemos explains the ideas for both sides in each of these systems, analyzing fantastic games from giants like Kasparov, Kramnik, and Carlsen to make the different strategies stick in your mind.

Paired with volume one, Damian Lemos’ Deep Dive is a complete guide to this fascinating opening for White.

Is this course for me?
If you’re a 1.e4 player, the easiest way to expand your horizons is by playing 1.d4 too! And when you play 1.d4, the Queen’s Gambit is going to teach you more about chess than any other opening.

Every Queen’s Gambit player needs to be prepared for these… Each carries its own peculiar sting… but now you’ve got the antidote.

• Suplexing the Symmetrical. With 2…c5 Black hopes to liquidate the center, eliminate our space advantage, and maybe even trade queens early. But we have other plans! By taking on d5, and developing with tempo, we keep Black on the back foot… eventually leading to dominant positions.
• Out-Psyching Stonewall Players. There are some sneaky players out there. They love nothing more than to move-order trick you into their favorite lines. They get the positions they want AND a psychological advantage. Stonewall players can segue from the QGD to the Dutch with 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 f5… I show you how to drag them back to territory that favors YOU.
• Baltic Poison? Black’s early …Bf5 in the Baltic variation leaves the b7 pawn unprotected. But we shouldn’t rush to play the natural Qb3… two quick knight hops give Black tremendous counterplay… and can even lead to a forced draw by repetition. I give you the treasure map that avoids the minefield of traps.

Enjoy this course!