ECO D53 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Lasker Defense

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Ne4

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

6. Bxe7+0.40

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Lasker Defense (D53), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Ne4, Stockfish 18 recommends 6. Bxe7 for White. White is slightly better (+0.40).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.406. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Rc1 O-O 8. Nf3 c6 9. Bd3 Nxc3 10. Rxc3 Nd7
  2. +0.316. Nxe4 dxe4 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. Ne2 O-O 9. Nc3 f5 10. Be2 Nd7
  3. +0.156. Qa4+ Nd7 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. Rc1 c6 9. Qc2 O-O 10. Nf3 Nxc3

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Rc1 h6 8. Bh4 Ne4

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Lasker Defense?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Ne4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 6. Bxe7 for White, continuing Qxe7 7. Rc1 O-O 8. Nf3 c6 9. Bd3 Nxc3 10. Rxc3 Nd7. White is slightly better (+0.40). The next best moves are 6. Nxe4 (+0.31) and 6. Qa4+ (+0.15).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Lasker Defense a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.40: 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: Lasker Defense?
D53. 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+).