ECO D35 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense

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

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

4. cxd5+0.26

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense (D35), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6, Stockfish 18 recommends 4. cxd5 for White. The position is roughly equal (+0.26).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.264. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8. h3 Ne4
  2. +0.204. Nf3 c5 5. cxd5 cxd4 6. Qxd4 exd5 7. e4 Nc6 8. Bb5 dxe4
  3. +0.194. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 b6 8. Qb3 Bb7

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4. cxd5 for White, continuing exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8. h3 Ne4. The position is roughly equal (+0.26). The next best moves are 4. Nf3 (+0.20) and 4. Bg5 (+0.19).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.26: 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: Normal Defense?
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+).