ECO D54 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Neo-Orthodox Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1

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

6… c5+0.11

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Neo-Orthodox Variation (D54), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1, Stockfish 18 recommends 6… c5 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.11).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.116… c5 7. dxc5 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Qxd1+ 9. Rxd1 Bxc5 10. Nge2 Bd7 11. O-O
  2. +0.166… dxc4 7. Bxc4 c5 8. Nf3 cxd4 9. exd4 Nc6 10. O-O Qb6 11. Qd2
  3. +0.206… h6 7. Bxf6 Bxf6 8. Nf3 a6 9. a3 Nc6 10. Bd3 Ne7 11. O-O

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h6

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Neo-Orthodox Variation?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 6… c5 for Black, continuing 7. dxc5 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Qxd1+ 9. Rxd1 Bxc5 10. Nge2 Bd7 11. O-O. The position is roughly equal (+0.11). The next best moves are 6… dxc4 (+0.16) and 6… h6 (+0.20).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Neo-Orthodox Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.11: 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: Neo-Orthodox Variation?
D54. 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+).