ECO D64 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Attack

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Qc2

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

8… h6+0.23

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Attack (D64), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Qc2, Stockfish 18 recommends 8… h6 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.23).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.238… h6 9. Bh4 Ne4 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Bd3 Nxc3 12. Qxc3 dxc4 13. Qxc4
  2. +0.258… Ne4 9. Bf4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 c5 11. Bd3 Nf6 12. O-O dxc4 13. Bxc4
  3. +0.338… a6 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Bd3 b5 11. h3 h6 12. Bf4 Bb7 13. Qb1

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Qc2 a6
  • 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Qc2 Ne4
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. a3 a6 9. Qc2
  • 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Qc2 a6 9. cxd5
  • 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Qc2 a6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bd3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Attack?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Qc2, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 8… h6 for Black, continuing 9. Bh4 Ne4 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Bd3 Nxc3 12. Qxc3 dxc4 13. Qxc4. The position is roughly equal (+0.23). The next best moves are 8… Ne4 (+0.25) and 8… a6 (+0.33).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Attack a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.23: 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, Rubinstein Attack?
D64. 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+).