The JanowskiVariation of the Queen'sGambit Declined arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 a6. Black plays …a6to prepare the queenside expansion …b5, aiming to challenge White’s c4 pawn and gainspace. The idea was introduced by the Polish-French grandmaster Dawid Janowski around the turn of the 20th century.Compared withclassical QGD lines, this variation is less theoretical and offers flexibledevelopment for Black. White usually responds by strengthening the center andpreventing …b5,often with moves like a4, Nf3, or cxd5. The resulting positions typically feature astrategic battle between White’s central control and Black’s queenside expansion.
