Tree path 8 levels Queen's Pawn Game › Queen's Gambit › Queen's Gambit Declined › Queen's Knight Variation › Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense › Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation › Queen's Gambit Declined › Modern Variation, Heral Variation
- Chess Codex
- Queen's Pawn Game D00
- Queen's Gambit D06
- Queen's Gambit Declined D30
- Queen's Knight Variation D31
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense D35
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation D50
- Queen's Gambit Declined D53
- Modern Variation, Heral Variation D53 you are here
Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation
Overview
Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Heral Variation is a gambit, classified under ECO code D53 within the Closed & Semi-Closed Games family. As with all gambits, one side sacrifices material early — usually a pawn — in exchange for development, open lines, or initiative.
The Closed & Semi-Closed Games group covers closed and semi-closed games — 1.d4 systems characterised by long strategic manoeuvring rather than early tactics.
Play reaches this position via 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6, after 9 plies of opening development.
It is a variation of Queen's Gambit Declined, which itself descends from the root opening Queen's Pawn Game.
Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.
- ECO code
- D53
- Group
- Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
- Plies
- 9
- Parent
- Queen's Gambit Declined
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
326,491 games · White 49.9% / Draw 5.4% / Black 44.6%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Bxf6 | 322,229 | |
| gxf6 | 2,697 | |
| O-O | 971 | |
| h6 | 183 | |
| Nd7 | 99 | |
| dxc4 | 99 | |
| c6 | 56 | |
| a6 | 31 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:09:29
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