ECO D02 · Queen's Pawn Game

Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6

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

3. c4+0.29

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation (D02), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6, Stockfish 18 recommends 3. c4 for White. The position is roughly equal (+0.29).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.293. c4 e6 4. g3 c5 5. Bg2 dxc4 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. Ne5 Bd7
  2. +0.123. e3 e6 4. c4 Bd6 5. c5 Be7 6. b4 b6 7. Qa4+ c6
  3. +0.053. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Bb5 cxd4 6. exd4 Bg4 7. O-O e6

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 3. c4 for White, continuing e6 4. g3 c5 5. Bg2 dxc4 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. Ne5 Bd7. The position is roughly equal (+0.29). The next best moves are 3. e3 (+0.12) and 3. Bf4 (+0.05).
Is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical 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 Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation?
D02. 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+).