ECO D66 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Bd3 Line

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3

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

8… dxc4+0.26

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Bd3 Line (D66), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3, Stockfish 18 recommends 8… dxc4 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.26).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.268… dxc4 9. Bxc4 a6 10. e4 b5 11. Bd3 c5 12. e5 Nd5 13. Bxe7
  2. +0.308… h6 9. Bh4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 a6 11. a4 Nd5 12. Bg3 b5 13. Bd3
  3. +0.388… a6 9. b3 dxc4 10. bxc4 c5 11. O-O cxd4 12. exd4 b6 13. h3

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 h6 9. Bh4
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Bd3 Line?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 8… dxc4 for Black, continuing 9. Bxc4 a6 10. e4 b5 11. Bd3 c5 12. e5 Nd5 13. Bxe7. The position is roughly equal (+0.26). The next best moves are 8… h6 (+0.30) and 8… a6 (+0.38).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Bd3 Line 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: Orthodox Defense, Bd3 Line?
D66. 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+).