In the most general sense the term Queen's Pawn Game can refer to any chess opening

Chess opening

A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...

 which starts with the move:

1. d4

It is the second most popular opening move. The name is now usually used to describe openings beginning with the moves 1.d4 d5 where White does not follow through with an early pawn

Pawn (chess)

The pawn is the most numerous and weakest piece in the game of chess, historically representing infantry, or more particularly armed peasants or pikemen. Each player begins the game with eight pawns, one on each square of the rank immediately in front of the other pieces...

 advance to c4 (Queen's Gambit

Queen's Gambit

The Queen's Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves:The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analysed by masters such as Gioachino Greco in the seventeenth century...

). Some of these openings have individual names as well, e.g. the Trompowsky Attack, Torre Attack

Torre Attack

The Torre Attack is a chess opening characterized by the moves:The opening is named after the Mexican grandmaster Carlos Torre Repetto. The variation was also employed by Savielly Tartakower, and the young Tigran Petrosian on occasion...

, Stonewall Attack

Stonewall Attack

The Stonewall Attack is a chess opening; more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. It is characterized by White playing 1.d4, 2.e3, 3.f4 and 4.c3, usually playing 5.Bd3 as well, even though the moves are not always played in that order . The Stonewall is a system White sets up,...

, Richter-Veresov Attack

Richter-Veresov Attack

The Richter–Veresov Attack is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The opening was named after the German International Master Kurt Richter and later the Soviet master Gavriil Veresov, who played it frequently for over a quarter of a century.Along with the Trompowsky Attack, Colle System,...

, London System

London System

The London System is a complex of related chess openings that begin with 1.d4 followed by an early Bf4. The London System requires very little knowledge of opening theory and normally results in a very closed game...

, and Colle System

Colle System

The Colle System is a chess opening strategy for White introduced by Belgian Edgard Colle in the 1920s. Also known as the Colle–Koltanowski system, played frequently and further developed by George Koltanowski, this variation of the Queen's Pawn Game is characterised by a systematic if modest...

.

In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings

Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings

The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess. It is presented as a five volume book collection describing chess openings...

, strict Queen's Pawn Games (1.d4 d5) are classified in the coding series D00–D05. Other openings where Black does not play an early 1...d5 are classified in the A-series.

History

In the 19th century and early 20th century, 1.e4 was by far the most common opening move by White , while the different openings starting with 1.d4 were considered somewhat unusual and therefore classed together as "Queen's Pawn Game".

As the merits of 1.d4 started to be explored, it was the Queen's Gambit

Queen's Gambit

The Queen's Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves:The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analysed by masters such as Gioachino Greco in the seventeenth century...

 which was played most often—more popular than all other 1.d4 openings combined. The term "Queen's Pawn Game" was then narrowed down to any opening with 1.d4 which was not a Queen's Gambit. Eventually, through the efforts of the hypermodernists

Hypermodernism (chess)

Hypermodernism is a school of chess that emerged after World War I. It featured challenges on the chess ideologies presented by central European masters, such as on Wilhelm Steinitz’ approach to the centre. It also challenged in particular the dogmatic rules set down by Siegbert Tarrasch...

, the various Indian Defences (such as the King's Indian

King's Indian Defence

The King's Indian Defence is a common chess opening. It arises after the moves:Black intends to follow up with 3...Bg7 and 4...d6.The Grünfeld Defence arises when Black plays 3...d5 instead, and is considered a separate opening...

, Nimzo-Indian

Nimzo-Indian Defence

The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:This hypermodern opening was developed by Grandmaster Aron Nimzowitsch who introduced it to master-level chess in the early 20th century. Unlike most Indian openings the Nimzo-Indian does not involve an immediate fianchetto,...

, and Queen's Indian

Queen's Indian Defense

The Queen's Indian Defense is a chess opening defined by the movesBy playing 3.Nf3, White sidesteps the Nimzo-Indian Defense that arises after 3.Nc3 Bb4. The Queen's Indian is regarded as the sister opening of the Nimzo-Indian, since both openings aim to impede White's efforts to gain full control...

) became more popular, and as these openings were named, the term "Queen's Pawn Game" narrowed further.

1... Nf6

This is the Indian Defence, the most common response. This is not really a specific opening,
rather a move that is likely to be made anyway. White can play 2.c4 for Queen's Gambit

Queen's Gambit

The Queen's Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves:The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analysed by masters such as Gioachino Greco in the seventeenth century...

 (much more common than c4 first). Then Black may play ...e6 (D37 or E46) or ...g6 (E82 or E60). Also White can play 2.Nf3 which like the Black move is not specific as to opening. Then Black may play ...d5 (D02 or D04) or ...g6 (King's Indian, A48 to E60 or A49) or ...e6 (A48 to D37 or E04) or ...b6 (A47).

1... d5

White can play 2.c4 for Queen's Gambit

Queen's Gambit

The Queen's Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves:The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analysed by masters such as Gioachino Greco in the seventeenth century...

 (much more common than c4 first). Then Black may play ...e6 (D37 or E46) or ...g6 (E92 or E60). Also White can play 2.Nf3 which again is not specific as to opening. Then Black may play ...Nf6 (same as above( or ...e6 (D02 to D30 or D05).

1... e6

White can play 2.e4, which is usually reached by 1.e4 e6 2.d4 so see French Defense. Then Black may play 2...d5 (see 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5), or Black may play 2...c5 (see 1.e4 e6 2.d4 c5). Also White can play 2.c4. Then Black may play 2...Nf6 (see 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6). This can lead to Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined

The Queen's Gambit Declined is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit:This is known as the Orthodox Line of the Queen's Gambit Declined...

 (D37), Queen's Indian (E12), Nimzo-Indian (E41), or Queen's Gambit Declined (D35). Or Black may play 2...d5 for Queen's Gambit Declined (D31, see 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6). This can lead to Queen's Gambit Declined (D35), Queen's Gambit Declined (D31), Queen's Gambit Declined (D37), or Queen's Gambit Declined (D30).

1... d6

White can play 2.e4, which is usually reached by 1.e4 d6 2.d4 so see Pirc Defense. Then Black may play 2...Nf6 (see 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6), or Black may play 2...g6 (see 1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6). Also White can play 2.Nf3. Then Black may play 2...Nf6 for Queen's Pawn Game (A46, see 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6). This can lead to King's Indian (E94) or Old Indian, Main Line (A55). Or Black may play 2...Bg4 for Queen's Pawn Game (with ...d6) (A41, see 1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 Bg4).

Other continuations

• 1... f5 (Dutch Defense)
• 1... b5 (Polish Defense
  Polish Defense
  The Polish Defense is the name commonly given to one of several sequences of chess opening moves characterized by an early ...b5 by Black. The name "Polish Defense" is given by analogy to the so-called Polish Opening , 1.b4. The original line wasas played by Alexander Wagner, a Polish player and...
  
  )
• 1... g6 (leads to the Modern Defense
  Modern Defense
  The Modern Defense is a hypermodern chess opening in which Black allows White to occupy the center with pawns on d4 and e4, then proceeds to attack and undermine this "ideal" center without attempting to occupy it himself...
  
   by transposition
  Transposition (chess)
  A transposition in chess is a sequence of moves that results in a position which may also be reached by another, more common sequence of moves. Transpositions are particularly common in opening, where a given position may be reached by different sequences of moves...
  
   if White plays 2.e4)

See also

• List of chess openings
• Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
  Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
  The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess. It is presented as a five volume book collection describing chess openings...