ECO D68 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation

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 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5

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

13. Bb3+0.32

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation (D68), 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 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5, Stockfish 18 recommends 13. Bb3 for White. White is slightly better (+0.32).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.3213. Bb3 e4 14. Nd2 Kh8 15. Qc2 f5 16. a4 Nf6 17. a5 a6
  2. +0.3213. h3 exd4 14. exd4 Nb6 15. Bb3 Qd6 16. Qc2 h6 17. Qe4 Rd8
  3. +0.2713. a3 Rd8 14. Qc2 exd4 15. Nxd4 Nf6 16. Ba2 g6 17. h3 Re8

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5 13. Qb1
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5 13. Qc2
  • 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 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Qxe5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation?
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 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 13. Bb3 for White, continuing e4 14. Nd2 Kh8 15. Qc2 f5 16. a4 Nf6 17. a5 a6. White is slightly better (+0.32). The next best moves are 13. h3 (+0.32) and 13. a3 (+0.27).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.32: 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: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation?
D68. 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+).