What is IM Milovan Ratkovic Queen’s Gambit Declined for Cheap?

White plays d4. Black plays d5. White plays c4.

What does Black do next? Capture or not?

Should Black let go of the free pawn? Guess what, it is not a free pawn! By capturing the c-pawn, you are losing a tempo and that’s what White wants.

Instead, what you need to do next is… play 2…e6!

The Queen’s Gambit Declined is one of the strongest responses to White’s d4-c4 setup. It not only grabs the center for Black but also releases the dark-squared bishop into the game.

What about the locking-in of the light-squared bishop, though? Black tries to exchange it off, or better yet, it is great for defensive purposes.

What if White wants to go for the Modern or the Exchange variation in the QGD?

What if White goes for the London system? Or the Catalan?

That’s where IM Milovan Ratkovic comes in with his latest course Queen’s Gambit Declined – a 10+ hour video training focusing on refuting the best possible replies by White (including some tricky ones like the Catalan or the London).

In this course, Ratkovic focuses on the less explored lines in the QGD where Black is most likely to struggle and lose to White – no more shooting arrows in the dark as Black!

Here’s what you are going to learn:

• Piece exchanges simplified. In the 4.Nf6/8.Bd3 variation, the game usually has a lot of piece exchanges. What should Black do? Trade-off the useless. Keep the good ones. And above all, follow Ratkovic’s advice for a winning endgame advantage.
• Lock the key squares. In some QGD positions, especially in the Alatortsev Variation, controlling the key squares makes or breaks the game. Ratkovic shows you which squares and diagonals to fight for, and how to control them.
• White’s 5.e3 setup. While White goes for the light squares, Black must focus on the dark squares—with a knight on c6 and the dark-squared bishop on c5. The queen should come to c7 covering the c-file. Every piece staring at the enemy king.
• White’s London attack. White’s f4-bishop usually falls back to g3. White has a solid control on the dark squares. As Black, challenge White’s bishop right away. Fianchetto the light-squared bishop. What else?
• Catalan sword broken. What is White’s most vital minor piece in Catalan? The g2-bishop! That’s what Black trades off right off the bat… by bringing his own light-squared bishop to b7. Learn how Black usually plays in this line.
• White’s tricky approaches. White may try something out of the ordinary, say 5.Nbd2 after 3.e3. The idea is to control the e4-square as well as defend the c4-pawn. Black usually needs to play precisely not to fall for any White’s trap here.
• Harrwitz Attack’s awkward knight. Black usually tries to equalize by exchanging off the light-squared bishop… and gets his knight on the awkward a6-square. Black usually plays …c5 to get it back into action. Ratkovic warns against a few White’s moves though. Watch Chapters 9 and 10 for more.

IM Milovan Ratkovic Queen’s Gambit Declined Index:

📄 Ch01 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4Nf3_8Bd3, part 1.mp4 (77.17 MB)
📄 Ch02 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4Nf3_8Bd3, part 2.mp4 (93.49 MB)
📄 Ch03 QGD- Alatortsev Variation- 4Nf3_8Be2.mp4 (117.22 MB)
📄 Ch04 QGD- Alatortsev Variation- 4Nf3_8cxd5.mp4 (93.91 MB)
📄 Ch05 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4Nf3_8Rc1.mp4 (90.99 MB)
📄 Ch06 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4Nf3_8Qb3 and Qc2.mp4 (118.56 MB)
📄 Ch07 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4Nf3_6Bxf6, part 1.mp4 (95.04 MB)
📄 Ch08 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4Nf3_6Bxf6, part 2.mp4 (77.86 MB)
📄 Ch09 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, Harrwitz Attack, part 1.mp4 (98.69 MB)
📄 Ch10 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, Harrwitz Attack, part 2.mp4 (107.02 MB)
📄 Ch11 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 5e3 Variation.mp4 (119.95 MB)
📄 Ch12 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4Nf3_5Qc2 & cxd5.mp4 (130.21 MB)
📄 Ch13 QGD- Against Catalan, part 1.mp4 (73.70 MB)
📄 Ch14 QGD- Against Catalan, part 2.mp4 (117.03 MB)
📄 Ch15 QGD- Against Catalan, part 3.mp4 (88.24 MB)
📄 Ch16 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4cxd5, part 1.mp4 (116.15 MB)
📄 Ch17 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4cxd5, part 2.mp4 (102.41 MB)
📄 Ch18 QGD- Alatortsev Variation, 4cxd5, part 3.mp4 (97.11 MB)
📄 Ch19 QGD- Against the London System.mp4 (102.40 MB)
📄 Ch20 QGD- Unusual Lines, part 1.mp4 (92.79 MB)
📄 Ch21 QGD- Unusual Lines, part 2.mp4 (47.69 MB)
📄 QGD-pgn files.pgn (40.54 KB)

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