Caissa Codex
D20

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense, Yefimov Gambit

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense, Yefimov Gambit after 4…b5

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Statistics from Lichess

21,721 games: White 57.1% / Draw 3.7% / Black 39.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
12,70713K
4,9154,915
1,4191,419
1,0151,015
578578
514514
140140
139139

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+2.25 White is clearly better

Best play: 5. a4 Nf6 6. Nd2 e6 7. dxe6 Bxe6 8. axb5 Nbd7 9. Nh3 Nb6

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

Overview

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense, Yefimov Gambit (ECO D20, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a gambit in the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 c5 4. d5 b5 (4 moves).

In 21,721 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 57.1%, Black 39.2% and 3.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. a4, in 59% of those games.

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How to play against the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense, Yefimov Gambit

The most played answer, 5. a4, also scores best for White: 62.7%, with White winning 60.8% and Black 35.4% of 13K games. Of the main answers, 5. Nc3 scores lowest: 54.5%. Stockfish's first choice is also 5. a4.

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 4. d5 b5, the position after Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, Rubinstein Defense, Yefimov Gambit (D20)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-central-variation-rubinstein-defense-yefimov-gambit

https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-central-variation-rubinstein-defense-yefimov-gambit