Queen's Gambit Declined
With 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 Black declines the gambit pawn and keeps a solid centre. The Queen's Gambit Declined is renowned for its reliability and has been played in world championship matches for over a century.
2248master games
2622avg. Elo
28variations
White wins %24 · draw %61 · Black wins %15
Played by: Caruana, Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa, Nakamura, Gukesh, Carlsen, Giri, Sindarov
Main line
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Rd1 Qa5 10.a3 h6 11.Be2 Ne4 12.cxd5 Nxc3 13.bxc3 exd5 14.O-O Rd8 15.Rb1 Bd6
Learn every line move by move on an interactive board with Stockfish 19 evaluation, model games and spaced repetition. Also: every chess tournament worldwide and 4,100+ puzzles.
Try 7 days free →Variations played by masters (28)
Main line · ECO D30 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Rd1 Qa5 10.a3 h6 …
387 games · avg. Elo 2624 · W/D/L 91/227/69 · Model game: Makhnev – Sargsyan, 2024 (1/2-1/2)
Main line · ECO D30 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Rd1 Qa5 10.a3 h6 …
387 games · avg. Elo 2624 · W/D/L 91/227/69 · Model game: Makhnev – Sargsyan, 2024 (1/2-1/2)
Three Knights Variation · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 g6 8.Bd3 Bg7 9.O-O O-O 10.a4 a5 …
178 games · avg. Elo 2613 · W/D/L 37/110/31 · Model game: Martirosyan – Van Wely, 2024 (1/2-1/2)
Normal Defense · ECO D35 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Nge2 Re8 10.O-O a5 …
177 games · avg. Elo 2614 · W/D/L 42/113/22 · Model game: Nguyen – Le, 2025 (1/2-1/2)
Normal Defense · ECO D35 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Nge2 Re8 10.O-O a5 …
177 games · avg. Elo 2614 · W/D/L 42/113/22 · Model game: Nguyen – Le, 2025 (1/2-1/2)
Ragozin Defense · ECO D38 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 O-O 8.Rc1 dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.O-O cxd4 …
167 games · avg. Elo 2620 · W/D/L 41/113/13
Exchange Variation, Positional Variation · ECO D35 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Nge2 Re8 10.O-O Nbd7 …
118 games · avg. Elo 2610 · W/D/L 35/65/18 · Model game: Santos Latasa – Moussard, 2024 (1/2-1/2)
Barmen Variation · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 c6 8.e3 g5 9.Bg3 Nh5 10.Bd3 Nxg3 …
105 games · avg. Elo 2611 · W/D/L 19/71/15 · Model game: Gukesh – Caruana, 2024 (1/2-1/2)
Ragozin Defense, Alekhine Variation · ECO D38 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.e3 O-O 7.Qc2 Re8 8.Bd2 Bf8 9.a3 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 …
53 games · avg. Elo 2624 · W/D/L 13/33/7
Ragozin Defense, Alekhine Variation · ECO D38 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.e3 O-O 7.Qc2 Re8 8.Bd2 Bf8 9.a3 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 …
53 games · avg. Elo 2624 · W/D/L 13/33/7
Charousek Variation · ECO D31 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.e3 O-O 7.Bd3 c5 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.O-O Bg4 10.dxc5 Bxc5 …
51 games · avg. Elo 2658 · W/D/L 15/28/8 · Model game: Carlsen – Esipenko, 2026 (1-0)
Charousek Variation · ECO D31 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.e3 O-O 7.Bd3 c5 8.Nge2 Nc6 9.O-O Bg4 10.dxc5 Bxc5 …
51 games · avg. Elo 2658 · W/D/L 15/28/8 · Model game: Carlsen – Esipenko, 2026 (1-0)
Queen's Knight Variation · ECO D31 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 h6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bf4 Bd6 6.Bxd6 Qxd6 7.e3 O-O 8.Rc1 Qe7 9.Qc2 a6 10.g4 c5 …
43 games · avg. Elo 2620 · W/D/L 9/24/10 · Model game: Wei Yi – Nihal, 2026 (1/2-1/2)
Semi-Tarrasch Defense · ECO D41 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Bg5 Be7 8.e3 O-O 9.Be2 Nc6 10.Qd3 h6 …
40 games · avg. Elo 2649 · W/D/L 10/28/2 · Model game: Yakubboev – Artemiev, 2025 (1/2-1/2)
Semi-Tarrasch Defense · ECO D41 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Bg5 Be7 8.e3 O-O 9.Be2 Nc6 10.Qd3 h6 …
40 games · avg. Elo 2649 · W/D/L 10/28/2 · Model game: Yakubboev – Artemiev, 2025 (1/2-1/2)
Three Knights, Vienna Variation · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nxb5 Nb6 8.Be2 Nc6 9.O-O Be7 10.Qd2 Bb7 …
40 games · avg. Elo 2618 · W/D/L 9/23/8 · Model game: Navara – Maghsoodloo, 2024 (1/2-1/2)
Harrwitz Attack · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 b6 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bb7 9.O-O c5 10.Qe2 Nc6 …
22 games · avg. Elo 2625 · W/D/L 8/14/0 · Model game: Hakobyan – Kovalev, 2024 (1/2-1/2)
Harrwitz Attack · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 b6 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bb7 9.O-O c5 10.Qe2 Nc6 …
22 games · avg. Elo 2625 · W/D/L 8/14/0 · Model game: Hakobyan – Kovalev, 2024 (1/2-1/2)
Exchange Variation, Sämisch Variation · ECO D35 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 c6 7.h3 Nb6 8.e3 Bf5 9.g4 Be4 10.a3 h6 …
18 games · avg. Elo 2600 · W/D/L 5/9/4 · Model game: Harsha – Dudin, 2025 (0-1)
Janowski Variation · ECO D31 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be6 7.e3 Nbd7 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.O-O c6 10.Bf4 Qc7 …
17 games · avg. Elo 2624 · W/D/L 5/10/2 · Model game: Vitiugov – Samunenkov, 2024 (1-0)
Janowski Variation · ECO D31 · for Black
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bg5 Be6 7.e3 Nbd7 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.O-O c6 10.Bf4 Qc7 …
17 games · avg. Elo 2624 · W/D/L 5/10/2 · Model game: Vitiugov – Samunenkov, 2024 (1-0)
Harrwitz Attack, Two Knights Defense · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.a3 c5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 …
16 games · avg. Elo 2628 · W/D/L 2/13/1
Vienna Variation, Quiet Variation · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e3 a6 6.a4 c5 7.Bxc4 Nc6 8.O-O Be7 9.Qe2 cxd4 10.Rd1 e5 …
15 games · avg. Elo 2606 · W/D/L 4/6/5 · Model game: Ding Liren – Lu Shanglei, 2025 (1/2-1/2)
Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Exchange Variation · ECO D41 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 O-O …
12 games · avg. Elo 2631 · W/D/L 4/5/3 · Model game: Navara – Duda, 2024 (1-0)
Harrwitz Attack, Main Line · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 Qa5 10.Rd1 Be7 …
11 games · avg. Elo 2642 · W/D/L 0/8/3 · Model game: Sarana – Vokhidov, 2026 (1/2-1/2)
Harrwitz Attack, Main Line · ECO D37 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 Qa5 10.Rd1 Be7 …
11 games · avg. Elo 2642 · W/D/L 0/8/3 · Model game: Sarana – Vokhidov, 2026 (1/2-1/2)
Exchange Variation, Reshevsky Variation · ECO D36 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 c6 7.e3 Be7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Qc2 h6 10.Bh4 Re8 …
10 games · avg. Elo 2638 · W/D/L 3/5/2 · Model game: Raja – Martinez Alcantara, 2025 (1/2-1/2)
Exchange Variation, Reshevsky Variation · ECO D36 · for Black
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 c6 7.e3 Be7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Qc2 h6 10.Bh4 Re8 …
10 games · avg. Elo 2638 · W/D/L 3/5/2 · Model game: Raja – Martinez Alcantara, 2025 (1/2-1/2)
Learn every line move by move on an interactive board with Stockfish 19 evaluation, model games and spaced repetition. Also: every chess tournament worldwide and 4,100+ puzzles.
Try 7 days free →Other openings
Sicilian DefenseRuy LopezEnglish OpeningItalian GameIndian DefensePetrov's DefenseNimzo-Indian DefenseFrench DefenseZukertort OpeningCaro-Kann DefenseQueen's Pawn GameKing's Indian AttackFour Knights GameQueen's Gambit AcceptedCatalan OpeningScotch Game
Statistics from classical games of 2500+ rated players. Notation: K king, Q queen, R rook, B bishop, N knight.