Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, Costa's Line
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Statistics from Lichess
8,871 games: White 53.7% / Draw 11.3% / Black 35.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 4,4324,432 | ||
| 2,5122,512 | ||
| 724724 | ||
| 648648 | ||
| 412412 | ||
| 8181 | ||
| 2727 | ||
| 1010 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.18 The position is about equal
Best play: 8... Nf6 9. Nxd4 O-O 10. f3 Qg5 11. Nxc6 Qxe3+ 12. Qe2 Qxe2+ 13. Bxe2
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, Costa's Line (ECO D07, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. cxd5 Qxd5 4. e3 e5 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 exd4 8. Ne2 (8 moves).
In 8,871 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.7%, Black 35.0% and 11.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 8…Nf6, in 50% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, Costa's Line
The most played answer, 8…Nf6, also scores best for Black: 43.4%, with Black winning 36.4% and White 49.5% of 4,432 games. Of the main answers, 8…d3 scores lowest: 24.8%. Stockfish's first choice is also 8…Nf6.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, Costa's Line (D07)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-chigorin-defense-exchange-variation-costas-line