Caissa Codex
D86

Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation

Chess diagram: Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation after 8…Nc6

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

8,915 games: White 47.1% / Draw 6.2% / Black 46.7%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
6,3426,342
1,9991,999
257257
5252
3939
3535
2626
2525

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 28, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.54 White is slightly better

Best play: 9. O-O Na5 10. Bd3 c5 11. Be3 b6 12. e5 Bg4 13. h3 Be6

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation (ECO D86, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Classical Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Nc6 (8 moves).

In 8,915 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.1%, Black 46.7% and 6.2% were drawn. White's most played move here is 9. O-O, in 71% of those games.

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How to play against the Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation

9. Be3 scores best for White: 50.5%, with White winning 47.2% and Black 46.3% of 1,999 games. The most played answer, 9. O-O, scores lowest: 49.9% in 6,342 games. Stockfish's first choice is 9. O-O.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 7…O-O 8. Ne2 Nc6, the position after Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Classical Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation (D86)”. Lichess data as of 28 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/grunfeld-defense-exchange-variation-simagins-improved-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/grunfeld-defense-exchange-variation-simagins-improved-variation