ECO D31 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Janowski Variation

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 a6

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

4. cxd5+0.33

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Janowski Variation (D31), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 a6, Stockfish 18 recommends 4. cxd5 for White. White is slightly better (+0.33).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.334. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 c6 6. Bf4 Nf6 7. e3 Nh5 8. Bg5 Be7
  2. +0.174. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 c5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Be2 Nc6 8. O-O Bd6
  3. +0.134. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. Qa4+ Nbd7 7. Nf3 Rb8 8. Qxc4 b5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Janowski Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 a6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4. cxd5 for White, continuing exd5 5. Nf3 c6 6. Bf4 Nf6 7. e3 Nh5 8. Bg5 Be7. White is slightly better (+0.33). The next best moves are 4. e3 (+0.17) and 4. g3 (+0.13).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Janowski Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.33: 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: Janowski 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+).