1.d4 According to Lucas van Foreest: The Modern QGD Counterpunch
The Queen's Gambit Declined with 4...Nbd7 has become the contemporary player's fortress—Carlsen's choice when solidity matters, Aronian's trust in critical moments, Kramnik's classical foundation. It's the line you expect to face when serious opponents sit across from you. But what happens when the expected is met with 5.Qc2—not the fourth most popular move, not even the third, but a choice that sits quietly at fifth, carrying precision over popularity?
This is the philosophy behind 1.d4 According to Lucas Van Foreest - Fight the Queen's Gambit Declined - Part 2, the eighth installment in the 1.d4 According to Lucas series. GM Lucas Van Foreest and GM Pier Luigi Basso don't promise magic bullets—they offer something better: a repertoire engineered for practical discomfort where Black's preparation evaporates..
Why 5.Qc2 Works
While 5.Bf4 dominates the theoretical landscape after 4...Be7, it loses steam against 4...Nbd7 due to the immediate 5...dxc4 followed by either the positional 6...Nb6 or the forcing 6...b5—lines many top players believe lead to forced draws. Van Foreest and Basso sidestep this entirely. Their 5.Qc2 is flexible, tricky, and works against all of Black's responses. It's the anti-theory choice that doesn't sacrifice quality for surprise.
The course dismantles Black's options systematically. Against 5...Be7, you reach an improved Carlsbad structure where Black's typical ...Bd6 resource is off the table. Against 5...c6 (Semi-Slav style), you meet it with 6.e4—GM Bluebaum's fresh approach that avoids Anti-Meran theory. The Ragozin-style 5...Bb4 and GM Kuzubov's 5...c5 each receive dedicated treatment. Even Kramnik's tricky 6...Nb6 from the famous Ding-Kramnik encounter gets its own chapter.
Complete Variation Map
The course structure follows Black's critical choices:
- Chapter 1: 4...a6 — The practical sideline that's no longer a sideline
- Chapter 2: 4...h6 — Nihal Sarin's tricky modern weapon
- Chapter 3: 5...Be7 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bf4 — The improved Carlsbad
- Chapters 4–5: 5...c6 6.e4 — Semi-Slav structures with Bluebaum's approach
- Chapter 6: 5...c5 — Kuzubov's favorite defense
- Chapter 7: 6...Nb6 — The Kramnik/Ding line
- Chapter 8: 5...dxc4 6.e4 c5 7.Bxc4 — The main theoretical battleground
- Chapter 9: 5...Bb4 — Ragozin-style approach
- Chapter 10: 4...Nc6 — The Chigorin revival (as recommended in Jobava/Basso's own work)
This course builds directly on Part 1, which handled 4...Be7 lines. Together, they form a complete system against the QGD complex.
What You Get
- 10 chapters covering all critical variations
- 30 test positions to sharpen your tactical vision
- GM Basso's 15-minute video overview
- Memory Booster for key positions
- To Go Version of every chapter for quick study
- Full video instruction throughout
- Multilingual PGN availability (English, German, French, Spanish)
Van Foreest and Basso understand that modern preparation isn't about memorizing move 23 of a forced line—it's about knowing where the imbalances lie and how to exploit them. The "1.d4 Squeeze Repertoire" earns its name by targeting positions Black finds uncomfortable.
If you're looking for a 1.d4 repertoire that prioritizes practical chances over theoretical duels, this is your blueprint. Explore the course and see how 5.Qc2 turns the modern QGD into your testing ground.