Caissa Codex
D28

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Alekhine System 7. Qe2 b5

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Alekhine System after 7…b5

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Statistics from Lichess

16,548 games: White 46.5% / Draw 7.3% / Black 46.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
9,7969,796
6,7386,738
55
44
11
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11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.07 The position is about equal

Best play: 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. e4 cxd4 10. e5 Nd5 11. a4 bxa4 12. Rxa4 Bb4

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

Overview

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Alekhine System (ECO D28, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a gambit in the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Alekhine System, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 b5 (7 moves).

In 16,548 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.5%, Black 46.2% and 7.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. Bb3, in 59% of those games.

It branches into 2 named variations; the most played are Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Alekhine System, Main Line and Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical, Flohr Variation. In all, 3 named lines continue from it.

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How to answer 7…b5

The most played answer, 8. Bb3, also scores best for White: 50.4%, with White winning 46.6% and Black 45.9% of 9,796 games. Of the main answers, 8. Bd3 scores lowest: 49.8%. Stockfish's first choice is 8. Bd3.

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

Variations (2)

All 3 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Alekhine System (D28)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-classical-defense-alekhine-system-2

https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-classical-defense-alekhine-system-2