Caissa Codex
D21

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Godes Variation

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Accepted: Godes Variation after 3…Nd7

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Statistics from Lichess

28,256 games: White 53.2% / Draw 4.6% / Black 42.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
9,0099,009
7,8967,896
6,4376,437
2,6072,607
623623
551551
464464
259259

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.83 White is better

Best play: 4. e4 Nb6 5. Bxc4 Nxc4 6. Qa4+ c6 7. Qxc4 Nf6 8. Nc3 e6

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

Overview

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Godes Variation (ECO D21, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a gambit in the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nd7 (3 moves).

In 28,256 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.2%, Black 42.2% and 4.6% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. e3, in 32% of those games.

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How to play against the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Godes Variation

4. g3 scores best for White: 56.8%, with White winning 54.5% and Black 40.9% of 2,607 games. The most played, 4. e3, scores 56.1% in 9,009 games, and 4. Nc3 scores lowest: 53.8%. Stockfish's first choice is 4. e4.

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 3…Nd7, the position after Queen's Gambit Accepted: Normal Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Accepted: Godes Variation (D21)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-godes-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-accepted-godes-variation