Chess Openings Lab
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Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack

The Harrwitz Attack is 4.Bf4 after 3.Nc3 Nf6, putting White's bishop outside the pawn chain where ...h6 cannot question it. White plans e3, Nf3 and Rc1 with quiet pressure on c7, while Black hits back at d4 with ...c5 or trades the bishop with ...dxc4 and ...Nd5.

Moves
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bf4
ECO
D35, D37
Engine
−0.06 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
3,249 games in our lichess sample
White scores
54.7%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • e3, Nf3 and Be2 complete a sturdy setup with the bishop still active on f4.
  • Rc1 puts pressure on the c-file, which matters most after Black plays ...c5.
  • After ...cxd4 and Nxd4, retreat Bg3 if needed to keep the bishop on the h2-b8 diagonal.
  • Against ...dxc4 and ...Nd5, recapture exf4 and use the half-open e-file and e5 square.

Black

  • 4...c5 hits d4 at once; after Nf3 cxd4 Nxd4, ...a6 and ...Nbd7 keep a flexible Sicilian-like setup.
  • 4...Bb4 pins the c3 knight first, then ...c5 and short castling follow.
  • 4...dxc4 5.e3 Nd5 trades the active bishop, accepting doubled f-pawns for White.
  • Do not leave c7 loose; ...Bd6 or a rook on c8 can cover it when White lines up Rc1.

Plans and pawn structure

Since the bishop is on f4, Black cannot use ...h6 or ...Ne4 trades against it. White develops with e3, Nf3 and Be2 and aims at c7 and d6 with Rc1 and sometimes Nb5. Black's best plans are direct: ...c5 to open the center, ...Bb4 to pin, or ...dxc4 with ...Nd5 to remove the bishop. If Black reaches ...O-O and ...Nc6 with the center open, the game is level.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.06: level. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. −0.06 4...c5 5.Nf3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 a6 7.e3
  2. −0.01 4...Bb4 5.e3 c5 6.Nf3 O-O 7.Rc1
  3. +0.14 4...dxc4 5.e3 Nd5 6.Bxc4 Nxf4 7.exf4

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

3,249 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 54.7%.

under 120058.0%
1200–159957.5%
1600–199953.5%
2000 and up54.6%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As Black, play 4...c5 or 4...Bb4 before White finishes development. Trade the f4 bishop with ...Nd5 when it comes with tempo. Avoid the slow ...Be7 and ...b6 setup, which gives White a free hand with Rc1 and cxd5. As White, finish e3 and Nf3 quickly.

Other lines with this name

The lichess opening list also files these lines under the same name, though they reach a different position: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4; 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Rd1 Qa5 10.a3; 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 Qa5 10.O-O-O.

Questions

What are the moves of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack starts 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bf4. Its ECO code is D35, D37.

Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.06 at depth 20, which is level. In 3,249 lichess games from our sample, White scored 54.7%. A safe and flexible choice for White, but Black equalizes comfortably with an early ...c5.

What is the main idea of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack?

White places the bishop on f4, avoiding the trades Black gets against Bg5. Black should react actively with ...c5, ...Bb4 or ...dxc4 and ...Nd5 to trade the bishop.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is c5, with Bb4 and dxc4 close behind. 4...c5 attacks d4 at once, using the time before White has castled.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.