Tree path 2 levels Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation › Positional Variation
- Chess Codex
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation D35
- Positional Variation D35 you are here
Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation
Overview
Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation is a sacrificial opening line filed under ECO D35 in the Closed & Semi-Closed Games group. The defining idea is the early concession of material to seize the initiative and unbalance the position.
The Closed & Semi-Closed Games group covers closed and semi-closed games — 1.d4 systems characterised by long strategic manoeuvring rather than early tactics.
It begins with 9 plies and takes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 to reach the canonical position.
It branches immediately from Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation in the opening tree.
3 named variations grow from this line, including Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Carlsen Variation, Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Chameleon Variation, Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation.
Together the deeper variations number 7 across the full subtree.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- D35
- Group
- Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
- Plies
- 9
- Direct variations
- 3
- Total in subtree
- 7
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
3,928,630 games · White 52.0% / Draw 6.0% / Black 42.0%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Be7 | 1,883,278 | |
| c6 | 1,166,214 | |
| Bb4 | 305,250 | |
| Nbd7 | 256,571 | |
| Be6 | 136,976 | |
| h6 | 50,093 | |
| c5 | 34,648 | |
| Bd6 | 26,869 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:08:58
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Variations (3)
Show all 7 sub-variations (full subtree)
- D35 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Carlsen Variation 14-ply
- D35 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Chameleon Variation 19-ply
- D35 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation 10-ply
- D36 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Reshevsky Variation 11-ply
- D36 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Reshevsky Variation 15-ply
- D36 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Reshevsky Variation 15-ply
- D36 Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Reshevsky Variation 17-ply