ECO D31 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Alapin Variation

1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 d5

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White to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

4. cxd5+0.56

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Alapin Variation (D31), reached after 1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 d5, Stockfish 18 recommends 4. cxd5 for White. White is slightly better (+0.56).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.564. cxd5 exd5 5. f3 Nc6 6. e4 Nge7 7. Be3 Bb7 8. Nge2 Qd7
  2. +0.494. Nf3 Nf6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Ne5 c6 7. Bf4 Ne4 8. Qb3 f6
  3. +0.324. g3 Nf6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nxd5 exd5 8. Nf3 Bd6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Alapin Variation?
After 1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 d5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4. cxd5 for White, continuing exd5 5. f3 Nc6 6. e4 Nge7 7. Be3 Bb7 8. Nge2 Qd7. White is slightly better (+0.56). The next best moves are 4. Nf3 (+0.49) and 4. g3 (+0.32).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Alapin Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.56: white is slightly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Alapin Variation?
D31. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; D is the volume for closed and semi-closed games.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).