ECO D61 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Variation

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

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

7… c5+0.29

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Variation (D61), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Qc2, Stockfish 18 recommends 7… c5 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.29).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.297… c5 8. cxd5 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nxd5 10. Bxe7 Nxe7 11. Rd1 Qb6 12. Be2
  2. +0.307… h6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bf4 Bb4 10. Bd3 Nh5 11. Be5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5
  3. +0.327… dxc4 8. Bxc4 a6 9. a4 c5 10. O-O cxd4 11. Nxd4 Ne5 12. Be2

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 c5
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. a3
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Rd1 a6
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 a6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3 Re8

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Qc2, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 7… c5 for Black, continuing 8. cxd5 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nxd5 10. Bxe7 Nxe7 11. Rd1 Qb6 12. Be2. The position is roughly equal (+0.29). The next best moves are 7… h6 (+0.30) and 7… dxc4 (+0.32).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.29: 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 Variation?
D61. 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+).