Caissa Codex
D26

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Development Variation

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Development Variation after 6…Nc6

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Statistics from Lichess

68,263 games: White 46.6% / Draw 10.4% / Black 43.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
30,77231K
13,78714K
12,08212K
4,4874,487
2,7302,730
1,9251,925
645645
300300

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

Engine evaluation

+0.23 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. Nc3 a6 8. Qe2 b5 9. Bd3 cxd4 10. exd4 Nb4 11. Be4 Nxe4

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, Steinitz Variation, Development Variation (ECO D26, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a gambit in the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Normal Line, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O Nc6 (6 moves).

In 68,263 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.6%, Black 43.0% and 10.4% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Nc3, in 45% of those games.

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How to play against the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Development Variation

7. Qe2 scores best for White: 53.3%, with White winning 48.9% and Black 42.2% of 12K games. The most played answer, 7. Nc3, scores lowest: 51.5% in 31K games. Stockfish's first choice is 7. Nc3.

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 6…Nc6, the position after Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Normal Line also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Development Variation (D26)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-classical-defense-steinitz-variation-development-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-classical-defense-steinitz-variation-development-variation