ECO D63 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Pillsbury Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3

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

9… c5+0.39

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Pillsbury Variation (D63), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3, Stockfish 18 recommends 9… c5 for Black. White is slightly better (+0.39).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.399… c5 10. O-O Bb7 11. Qc2 Re8 12. Rfd1 c4 13. Bf5 h6 14. Bf4
  2. +0.399… Bb7 10. O-O c5 11. Qc2 Ne4 12. Bf4 Ndf6 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Bxe4
  3. +0.479… c6 10. O-O Re8 11. Qc2 Bb7 12. Rfd1 g6 13. Bf4 Nh5 14. Bh6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Pillsbury Variation?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 9… c5 for Black, continuing 10. O-O Bb7 11. Qc2 Re8 12. Rfd1 c4 13. Bf5 h6 14. Bf4. White is slightly better (+0.39). The next best moves are 9… Bb7 (+0.39) and 9… c6 (+0.47).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Pillsbury Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.39: 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, Pillsbury Variation?
D63. 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+).