ECO D41 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, San Sebastian Variation

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Qa5

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

10. Rb1+0.89

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, San Sebastian Variation (D41), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Qa5, Stockfish 18 recommends 10. Rb1 for White. White is clearly better (+0.89).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.8910. Rb1 Bxd2+ 11. Qxd2 Qxd2+ 12. Kxd2 b6 13. h4 Bb7 14. Bb5+ Ke7
  2. +0.6510. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 11. Qd2 Qe7 12. Bc4 O-O 13. O-O b6 14. Rfe1 Ba6
  3. +0.6510. h4 O-O 11. Rb1 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 Qd8 13. Bd3 b6 14. Rh3 Ba6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, San Sebastian Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Nf3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Qa5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 10. Rb1 for White, continuing Bxd2+ 11. Qxd2 Qxd2+ 12. Kxd2 b6 13. h4 Bb7 14. Bb5+ Ke7. White is clearly better (+0.89). The next best moves are 10. Bxb4 (+0.65) and 10. h4 (+0.65).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, San Sebastian Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.89: white is clearly 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: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, San Sebastian Variation?
D41. 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+).