ECO D52 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Cambridge Springs Defense, Rubinstein Variation

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5 7. Nd2 dxc4

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

8. Bxf6+0.25

The position is roughly equal. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Cambridge Springs Defense, Rubinstein Variation (D52), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5 7. Nd2 dxc4, Stockfish 18 recommends 8. Bxf6 for White. The position is roughly equal (+0.25).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.258. Bxf6 Nxf6 9. Nxc4 Qc7 10. Rc1 Be7 11. g3 c5 12. Bg2 cxd4
  2. −0.678. Bf4 b5 9. a4 Qb6 10. Qf3 Nd5 11. axb5 cxb5 12. Nxd5 exd5
  3. −0.708. Bh4 b5 9. a4 Qb6 10. g4 Bb7 11. Bg2 a6 12. O-O Be7

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Cambridge Springs Defense, Rubinstein Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Qa5 7. Nd2 dxc4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 8. Bxf6 for White, continuing Nxf6 9. Nxc4 Qc7 10. Rc1 Be7 11. g3 c5 12. Bg2 cxd4. The position is roughly equal (+0.25). The next best moves are 8. Bf4 (−0.67) and 8. Bh4 (−0.70).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Cambridge Springs Defense, Rubinstein Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.25: the position is roughly equal. 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: Cambridge Springs Defense, Rubinstein Variation?
D52. 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+).