ECO D30 · Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined: Traditional Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Bg5

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

4… dxc4+0.10

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Gambit Declined: Traditional Variation (D30), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Bg5, Stockfish 18 recommends 4… dxc4 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.10).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.104… dxc4 5. Nc3 a6 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5
  2. +0.244… h6 5. Bxf6 Qxf6 6. e3 Nd7 7. Nc3 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4
  3. +0.274… Bb4+ 5. Nc3 dxc4 6. e4 c5 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qa5 9. Bd2

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Traditional Variation?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Bg5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4… dxc4 for Black, continuing 5. Nc3 a6 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5. The position is roughly equal (+0.10). The next best moves are 4… h6 (+0.24) and 4… Bb4+ (+0.27).
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Traditional Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.10: 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: Traditional Variation?
D30. 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+).