ECO D59 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense, Makogonov Exchange Variation

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 b6 8. cxd5 Nxd5

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

9. Bxe7+0.05

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense, Makogonov Exchange Variation (D59), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 b6 8. cxd5 Nxd5, Stockfish 18 recommends 9. Bxe7 for White. The position is roughly equal (+0.05).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.059. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Rc1 Bb7 12. Be2 c5 13. dxc5 bxc5
  2. −0.079. Nxd5 Bxh4 10. Nc3 Bb7 11. Bd3 Be7 12. O-O Nd7 13. Be4 Qc8
  3. −0.219. Bg3 c5 10. Bc4 Nxc3 11. bxc3 cxd4 12. cxd4 Bb4+ 13. Nd2 Bb7

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense, Makogonov Exchange Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 b6 8. cxd5 Nxd5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 9. Bxe7 for White, continuing Qxe7 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Rc1 Bb7 12. Be2 c5 13. dxc5 bxc5. The position is roughly equal (+0.05). The next best moves are 9. Nxd5 (−0.07) and 9. Bg3 (−0.21).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense, Makogonov Exchange Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.05: 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: Tartakower Defense, Makogonov Exchange Variation?
D59. 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+).