ECO D35 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5

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

4… exd5+0.31

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation (D35), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5, Stockfish 18 recommends 4… exd5 for Black. White is slightly better (+0.31).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.314… exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Nf3
  2. +0.374… Nxd5 5. Nf3 c5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2
  3. +0.994… c5 5. dxc6 Nxc6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 O-O 9. Qd3

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 b6 5. Nc3 Bd6 6. cxd5 exd5
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 Be7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bd3 O-O 7. Nf3 c6

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4… exd5 for Black, continuing 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Nf3. White is slightly better (+0.31). The next best moves are 4… Nxd5 (+0.37) and 4… c5 (+0.99).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.31: 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: Exchange Variation?
D35. 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+).