ECO D53 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6

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

5… Bxf6−0.14

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation (D53), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6, Stockfish 18 recommends 5… Bxf6 for Black. The position is roughly equal (−0.14).

Top engine moves

  1. −0.145… Bxf6 6. e3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 c5 8. d5 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 exd5 10. Qxd5
  2. +0.995… gxf6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 Be6 8. Qh5 Qd7 9. Bb5 Nc6 10. Nge2
  3. +3.965… dxc4 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. e3 b5 9. Nxb5 c5 10. dxc5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 5… Bxf6 for Black, continuing 6. e3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 c5 8. d5 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 exd5 10. Qxd5. The position is roughly equal (−0.14). The next best moves are 5… gxf6 (+0.99) and 5… dxc4 (+3.96).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −0.14: 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: Modern Variation, Heral Variation?
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+).