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Queen's Gambit Declined (D53)
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Be7

Number of games in database: 414
Years covered: 1873 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 45.2%
   Black wins 19.3%
   Draws 35.5%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Frank Marshall  12 games
Tony Miles  7 games
Natalia Zhukova  5 games
Jose Raul Capablanca  7 games
Paul van der Sterren  5 games
Efim Geller  5 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Marshall vs Capablanca, 1909
C van den Berg vs H Kramer, 1950
Kramnik vs Short, 1995
Marshall vs Lasker, 1907
Marshall vs Capablanca, 1909
Marshall vs Capablanca, 1909
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 page 1 of 17; games 1-25 of 414  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. J Heral vs M Fleissig  1-0601873ViennaD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
2. J E Crewe vs W Tullidge 1-03718871st Australian Championship, AdelaideD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
3. J Holzwarth vs A Zinkl 0-1631895Vienna Chess Society MastersD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
4. Marshall vs Lasker 0-1431907Lasker - Marshall World Championship MatchD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
5. Marshall vs Lasker ½-½411907Lasker - Marshall World Championship MatchD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
6. H Holmes vs G H Wolbrecht ½-½4419079th Anglo-American Cable MatchD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
7. Marshall vs Lasker 0-1371907Lasker - Marshall World Championship MatchD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
8. Marshall vs E Antoniadi 0-1321907Union Amicale des Amateurs de la RĂ©genceD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
9. M Gargulak vs A Beck  0-12019072nd Bohemian Chess Federation CongressD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
10. L Prokes vs A Perna  ½-½4119072nd Bohemian Chess Federation CongressD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
11. Teichmann vs F Duz-Khotimirsky ½-½321907KarlsbadD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
12. Marshall vs Capablanca 0-1521909Capablanca - MarshallD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
13. Marshall vs Capablanca 1-0251909Capablanca - MarshallD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
14. Marshall vs Capablanca ½-½671909Capablanca - MarshallD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
15. Marshall vs Capablanca 0-1431909Capablanca - MarshallD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
16. Marshall vs Capablanca 0-1491909Capablanca - MarshallD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
17. Marshall vs Capablanca ½-½311909Capablanca - MarshallD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
18. Marshall vs Capablanca ½-½391909Capablanca - MarshallD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
19. Marshall vs H Helms  1-0361910NYSCA chD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
20. R Michell vs L B Meyer ½-½46191012th Anglo-American Cable MatchD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
21. C Jenkinson vs R Dunstan  0-1281910Devon-CornwallD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
22. Capablanca vs H G Voigt 1-0381910Exhibition gameD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
23. Capablanca vs T A Carter  0-1411910Simul, 23bD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
24. A Howell vs A J Maas  0-1251911Thornton Heath CC - Clapham CC mD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
25. Duras vs E Tenenwurzel 1-0351913Rice CC MastersD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
 page 1 of 17; games 1-25 of 414  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-06-04  PaulKeres: Anyone think 5.e3 Nc6?! is dubious from Black? If so why?
Apr-06-04  ruylopez900: What Black player would play 4...Be7?? Check out the percentages! :O
Apr-06-04  Kenkaku: If black has played the opening as he has already (d4, d6, and Nf6), it's a pretty natural followup. I personally only play the aforementioned setup versus 3. Nf3, with the intention of going into a QGD Semi-Tarrasch.
Oct-25-04  morphy234: I love playing the Orthodox as black! it's a fun, closed game. Nc6 is pretty dubious without playing c5 first. (semi-Tarrasch)
Oct-25-04  Dudley: <PaulKeres> ...Nc6 is always dubious for black in the QGD, since black usually needs to make the move...c5 later to equalize. There is probably no immediate refutation but I notice there are only 2 games in the database with that move, so its safe to say its not a big favorite.
Oct-26-04  morphy234: i said that alredy.
Oct-26-04  Dudley: Yes, but you didn't say it very well so I thought it could use some elaboration. You may as well get used to that kind of thing if you are going to kibitz here because it happens all the time.
Oct-26-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  Chessical: Dudley: <...Nc6 is always dubious for black in the QGD>. I believe that there is an exception to this general rule - the Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense (D07)
Oct-26-04  azaris: <Chigorin Defense> I think this has been mainly relegated to surprise openings and blitz. I know only one interesting line, the Lazard Gambit: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 ♘c6 3. ♘f3 e5!? 3. dxe5 ♗b4+. Alternatively 3...d4 transposes to the Albin, which is also nice.
Dec-30-04  BaranDuin: So we could call 5. ... Nc6 the Unorthodox Orthodox variation. Nice. ;-)
Dec-30-04  tomh72000: <<Chigorin Defense> I think this has been mainly relegated to surprise openings and blitz.> And Morozevich.
Dec-30-04  RisingChamp: GM Miladinovic uses it regularly as well as GM Kempinski and Skembris doubt you will find too many of their games though
Mar-26-05  ongyj: I have a question on QGD. Why does Black often play ...h6 at some time in the opening stage? Is it simply a 'free move' that kicks the Bishop back a little, or is there more to meets the eye? Thanks for the information:)
Mar-26-05  Cecil Brown: <ongyj> I've just bought the Queen's Gambit Declined by Matthew Sadler from Caiman.com via Amazon Marketplace. I am still working through it and I'm a class C player so don't take what follows as gospel, it's just how I see it now.

Black plays ..h6 for two reasons.

In some QGD positions black suffers from a lack of good squares for his queen, which in turn means he can have problems connecting his rooks. To free the position a bit it is often desirable to play Nf6-e4, when the bishops oppose each other on the h4-d8 diagonal this encourages white to exchange bishops, leaving the black queen on e7 which is quite a good square. If the bishop is on g5 when Ne4 is played it can retreat to f4 and white can often keep it on the board. After ...h6 Bh4 the only available retreat square for the bishop is g3, where it can be exchanged off by the knight on e4 if black so desires.

Secondly in some lines white can play Bd3 and Qc2 and threaten to win the h7 pawn with check after exchanging off the knight on f6. To avoid this pressure black can play h6 where the pawn is less of a target.

Things can get more complicated than this but that is more or less as I see things today, hope this helps.

Mar-26-05  ongyj: Thanks <Cecil Brown>. What you said above makes sense:)
Jul-18-05  Robin001: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Be7 5 cxd5 Nxd5 6 Bxe7 Nxe7. Is this line any good for black in taking with the knight like this on his sixth move?
Oct-30-06  OJC: For those interested in traps, here's a try from Black's perspective:

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 dxc4 6.e4 Nd5?!


click for larger view

this (6. ...Nd5) deviates from theory and is unexplored.

White should continue with 7.Bxe7 Nxe7 8.Bxc4 with a non-decisive opening advantage:


click for larger view

However, if white trys this line (which may appear OK at a glance):

7.Bxc4? Nxc3 8.Bxe7 Nxd1 9.Bxd8 Nxb2! saves the knight and attacks another bishop; now white loses a piece:


click for larger view

So, 6. ...Nd5 may be worth trying in fast time control games.

May-13-11  Helloween: <OJC>Or, you could just play strong moves that are in the spirit of the opening you're playing, instead of trying to get a cheap win with a crappy, boring move.>
Mar-15-12  The Finisher: OJC, at first glance I thought 7.exd5 was a killer, but from my play it seems black goes a pawn up. Would be best if you pointed that kind of thing out.

Don't listen to anyone saying traps are unsporting; traps in the opening are part of the sport.

Mar-15-12  ephesians: <OJC: White should continue with 7.Bxe7 Nxe7 8.Bxc4 with a non-decisive opening advantage. >

It's a clear advantage for white. Not bad after 8 moves.

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