Answers.Body: <p>The simplest reply for white is Bxc4 which gives white exactly what he wants, a central pawn majority with tempo because he got his d4 pawn in the center plus his bishop on C4 while black basically doesn't have any pieces or pawns off their starting squares.</p>
  
  <p>That said, a4 is probably also a good move as it makes b5 difficult for black.</p>
  
  <p>Note that c6 isn't a great move for black because quite often in other lines he wants to move his c pawn straight to c5. If he ends up later playing c6-c5 then he has taken two moves instead of one to get there. Better for black would be e5, aggressively challenging white in the center or Nf6 fighting for the d5 and e4 squares.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-01-31T21:48:35.153Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-02-02T02:52:05.487Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2016-02-02T02:52:05.487Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Brian Towers
Answers.Body: <p>A lot of players new to the QGA like to try to hang on to the pawn at c4 or build up a quick and big Queenside pawn storm, but it is an unstable and fairly neglectful strategy.  Here, it looks like Black will follow 4. Bxc4 with ...b5 to kick away the bishop and start moving pawns forward; however, as @overtheboard suggests, if White keeps to solid chess principles (develop, don't overextend right away, castle, etc.), he or she will enjoy the better position.  The QGA is classically played by Black by developing and attempting to undermine the center, not storm across the Queenside without developing pieces.</p>
  
  <p>You can play an immediate 3. e4, and this might be a matter of taste, but that leaves you a bit vulnerable after 3...e5.  I play the Classical QGA (1. d4 d5 2.c4 dxc5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4.e3), which uses e3 because it is the safest and more direct route to recapturing the pawn and completing development.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-08T17:05:23.723Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-02-08T17:05:23.723Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: rougon
Answers.Body: <p>Why not play the move 3. e4 instead of 3. e3?  that move helps you start staking a claim for the center and you get to recapture on c4, Win-Win. Unless black decides to protect the c4 pawn which is usually not advised</p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.chessfiles.com/chess-openings---queens-gambit-accepted.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.chessfiles.com/chess-openings---queens-gambit-accepted.html</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-08T17:00:54.127Z
Answers.Text: 3.e3 and 3.e4 are both perfectly fine moves. 3.e4 is more ambitious but 3.e3 is more solid.
Answers.UserDisplayName: dfan
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-08T18:18:56.350Z
Answers.Text: 3. e3 is more solid? how so? how come opening theory doesn't suggest it?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ade
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-08T19:32:43.953Z
Answers.Text: Downvoted because not an answer to the question whatsoever. And 3.e3 is a perfectly normal move that has loads and loads of opening theory.
Answers.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-08T21:51:05.890Z
Answers.Text: @Ade 3.e3 is more solid than 3.e4 because d4 is protected and there is not an unsupported pawn on e4. It is not the case that opening theory doesn't suggest it; it is a perfectly legitimate move.
Answers.UserDisplayName: dfan
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-09T02:04:49.307Z
Answers.Text: @RemcoGerlich show me where e3 is the suggested next move in the ECO. And my answer also says "you get to recapture on c4" read between the lines.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ade
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-09T02:18:32.707Z
Answers.Text: @dfan we're not talking about legitimate or not, we're talking about which is more solid.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ade
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-09T02:31:49.223Z
Answers.Text: @dfan If you want to play e3, play Nf3 first so that it protects the d4 pawn and the e5 square so black doesn't pull any shenanigans
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ade
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-09T07:49:01.867Z
Answers.Text: @Ade: I have never even seen an actual copy of ECO, ECO was a popular book in the 70s, wasn't it? Look at any modern QGA book for black, and it will treat 3.e3. Chess Stars has a recent repertoire book on 1.d4 d5 2.c4 by GM Kornev, it recommends 3.e3 ( see http://chess-stars.com/resources/tom1_preliminary_contents.pdf ) but of course 3.Nf3 is most popular and maybe 3.e4 is more popular than 3.e3, I don't know exactly. There are also books that recommend 3.Nc3 and 3.Qa4+, they're not bad, just equal, but so are 3.Nf3 and 3.e4. 3...e5 4.Bxc4 exd4 5.exd4 is a normal IQP position.
Answers.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-09T13:20:11.163Z
Answers.Text: @Ade You asked both how it was more solid, and "how come opening theory doesn't suggest it?" My second sentence answered your second question. 3.Nf3 is of course another perfectly fine move, and the most popular, though some people play e3 while delaying Nf3 in order to avoid ...Bg4 issues.
Answers.UserDisplayName: dfan
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-08T16:56:15.187Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-02-08T16:56:15.187Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ade
Answers.Body: <p>c6 is one of the most benign looking moves in that position.</p>
  
  <p>black usually plays a6 or some Nf6, e6, a6, c5 setup in the QGA</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-08T19:35:44.910Z
Answers.Text: Not an answer to the question.
Answers.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-02-01T05:39:53.160Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-02-01T05:39:53.160Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: InfiniteFlash
Body: <p>I was playing Queen's Gambit Accepted. How should I continue after 3. e3 c6? I had no idea what to do after that.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 c6
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-31T06:45:59.020Z
Comments.Text: just take the pawn.
Comments.UserDisplayName: CognisMantis
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-31T16:42:27.427Z
Comments.Text: 4.Bxc4 is that bad?
Comments.UserDisplayName: A. N. Other
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-02-02T05:10:45.597Z
Comments.Text: Just play normal chess apply principles etc.
Comments.UserDisplayName: limits
Tags: <opening><queens-gambit-accepted>
Title: Queen's Gambit Accepted, how to continue after 3. e3 c6
ThreadText: # Queen's Gambit Accepted, how to continue after 3. e3 c6
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-01-31)
  
  I was playing Queen's Gambit Accepted. How should I continue after 3. e3 c6? I had no idea what to do after that.
  
  ```
  [FEN ""]
  1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 c6
  
  ```
  
  **Tags:** opening, queens-gambit-accepted
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: just take the pawn.  
  > **username_2**: 4.Bxc4 is that bad?  
  > **username_3**: Just play normal chess apply principles etc.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 4 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2016-01-31. Score: 5
  
  The simplest reply for white is Bxc4 which gives white exactly what he wants, a central pawn majority with tempo because he got his d4 pawn in the center plus his bishop on C4 while black basically doesn't have any pieces or pawns off their starting squares.
  
  That said, a4 is probably also a good move as it makes b5 difficult for black.
  
  Note that c6 isn't a great move for black because quite often in username_2 lines he wants to move his c pawn straight to c5. If he ends up later playing c6-c5 then he has taken two moves instead of one to get there. Better for black would be e5, aggressively challenging white in the center or Nf6 fighting for the d5 and e4 squares.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2016-02-08. Score: 0
  
  A lot of players new to the QGA like to try to hang on to the pawn at c4 or build up a quick and big Queenside pawn storm, but it is an unstable and fairly neglectful strategy. Here, it looks like Black will follow 4. Bxc4 with ...b5 to kick away the bishop and start moving pawns forward; however, as @overtheboard suggests, if White keeps to solid chess principles (develop, don't overextend right away, castle, etc.), he or she will enjoy the better position. The QGA is classically played by Black by developing and attempting to undermine the center, not storm across the Queenside without developing pieces.
  
  You can play an immediate 3. e4, and this might be a matter of taste, but that leaves you a bit vulnerable after 3...e5. I play the Classical QGA (1. d4 d5 2.c4 dxc5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4.e3), which uses e3 because it is the safest and more direct route to recapturing the pawn and completing development.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2016-02-08. Score: -1
  
  Why not play the move 3. e4 instead of 3. e3? that move helps you start staking a claim for the center and you get to recapture on c4, Win-Win. Unless black decides to protect the c4 pawn which is usually not advised
  
  <http://www.chessfiles.com/chess-openings---queens-gambit-accepted.html>
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: 3.e3 and 3.e4 are both perfectly fine moves. 3.e4 is more ambitious but 3.e3 is more solid.  
  > **username_6**: 3. e3 is more solid? how so? how come opening theory doesn't suggest it?  
  > **username_8**: Downvoted because not an answer to the question whatsoever. And 3.e3 is a perfectly normal move that has loads and loads of opening theory.  
  > **username_7**: @username_6 3.e3 is more solid than 3.e4 because d4 is protected and there is not an unsupported pawn on e4. It is not the case that opening theory doesn't suggest it; it is a perfectly legitimate move.  
  > **username_6**: @username_8 show me where e3 is the suggested next move in the ECO. And my answer also says "you get to recapture on c4" read between the lines.  
  > **username_6**: @username_7 we're not talking about legitimate or not, we're talking about which is more solid.  
  > **username_6**: @username_7 If you want to play e3, play Nf3 first so that it protects the d4 pawn and the e5 square so black doesn't pull any shenanigans  
  > **username_8**: @username_6: I have never even seen an actual copy of ECO, ECO was a popular book in the 70s, wasn't it? Look at any modern QGA book for black, and it will treat 3.e3. Chess Stars has a recent repertoire book on 1.d4 d5 2.c4 by GM Kornev, it recommends 3.e3 ( see http://chess-stars.com/resources/tom1_preliminary_contents.pdf ) but of course 3.Nf3 is most popular and maybe 3.e4 is more popular than 3.e3, I don't know exactly. There are also books that recommend 3.Nc3 and 3.Qa4+, they're not bad, just equal, but so are 3.Nf3 and 3.e4. 3...e5 4.Bxc4 exd4 5.exd4 is a normal IQP position.  
  > **username_7**: @username_6 You asked both how it was more solid, and "how come opening theory doesn't suggest it?" My second sentence answered your second question. 3.Nf3 is of course another perfectly fine move, and the most popular, though some people play e3 while delaying Nf3 in order to avoid ...Bg4 issues.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_9 on 2016-02-01. Score: -1
  
  c6 is one of the most benign looking moves in that position.
  
  black usually plays a6 or some Nf6, e6, a6, c5 setup in the QGA
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_8**: Not an answer to the question.  
  
  ---
  
  