Caissa Codex
D26

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

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense, Steinitz Variation, Exchange Variation after 6…cxd4

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Statistics from Lichess

57,061 games: White 48.1% / Draw 8.4% / Black 43.6%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
28,78229K
19,82820K
7,5307,530
448448
112112
6767
6161
3737

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

Engine evaluation

+0.32 White is slightly better

Best play: 7. exd4 Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Re1 a6 10. Ne5 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6

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, Exchange 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 cxd4 (6 moves).

In 57,061 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.1%, Black 43.6% and 8.4% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. exd4, in 50% of those games.

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

The most played answer, 7. exd4, also scores best for White: 53.1%, with White winning 49.0% and Black 42.9% of 29K games. Of the main answers, 7. Nxd4 scores lowest: 51.4%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. exd4.

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…cxd4, 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, Exchange Variation (D26)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-classical-defense-steinitz-variation-exchange-variation

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