ECO D31 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3

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

3… Be7+0.30

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation (D31), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3, Stockfish 18 recommends 3… Be7 for Black. White is slightly better (+0.30).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.303… Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 b6 7. Bd3 dxc4 8. Bxc4
  2. +0.313… Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 b6 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bxe7
  3. +0.313… Bb4 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e3 c5 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Bxd7+

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 3… Be7 for Black, continuing 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 b6 7. Bd3 dxc4 8. Bxc4. White is slightly better (+0.30). The next best moves are 3… Nf6 (+0.31) and 3… Bb4 (+0.31).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.30: 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: Queen's Knight Variation?
D31. 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+).