D53

Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation

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Statistics from Lichess

326,491 games: White 49.9% / Draw 5.4% / Black 44.6%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next move	Games	White / Draw / BlackW / D / B
	322,229322K
	2,6972,697
	971971
	183183
	9999
	9999
	5656
	3131

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

Engine evaluation

−0.10 The position is about equal

Best play: 5... Bxf6 6. Nf3 dxc4 7. e3 c5 8. Ne4 cxd4 9. Nxf6+ Qxf6 10. Nxd4

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

By rating

The stronger the players, the better this line does for White: White scores 51% under 1400, 54% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).

Players	Games	White / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Under 1400	55K
1400–1799	203K
1800–2199	193K
2200 and up	9,498
Masters, over the board	4

Master games

Govedarica, R. – Martinovic, S. ½–½, 2013
Emelyanov, M. N. – Rumyantsev, V. A. 1–0, 2020
Laurent, C. – Pessoa, F. 0–1, 2005
Morales, H. – Kappler, J. M. ½–½, 1993

Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026

Overview

Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation (ECO D53, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6 (5 moves).

In 326,491 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.9%, Black 44.6% and 5.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…Bxf6, in 99% of those games.

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Description

Popularity by year

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation has stayed between 0.012% and 0.014% of Lichess games a year since 2016 (0.013% in 2025).

0.012%0.013%0.014%

Numbers by year

Year	Share of games	Games
2016	0.012%	4,455
2017	0.013%	6,952
2018	0.014%	10,748
2019	0.014%	17,058
2020	0.012%	34,870
2021	0.012%	48,465
2022	0.013%	47,089
2023	0.013%	48,158
2024	0.013%	45,938
2025	0.013%	44,098
2026 (Jan–Apr)	0.012%	12,793

Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation (D53)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-modern-variation-heral-variation