Caissa Codex
D68

Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation 12…e5 13. Qc2

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation after 13. Qc2

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Statistics from Lichess

940 games: White 49.0% / Draw 9.5% / Black 41.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
486486
388388
2020
1313
1111
99
55
22

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 9, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.13 The position is about equal

Best play: 13... exd4 14. exd4 Nb6 15. Re1 Qd8 16. Bb3 Nd5 17. Bxd5 Qxd5 18. Re5

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

Overview

Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation (ECO D68, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Main Line, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5 13. Qc2 (13 moves).

In 940 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.0%, Black 41.5% and 9.5% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 13…exd4, in 52% of those games.

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How to answer 13. Qc2

The most played answer, 13…exd4, also scores best for Black: 49.9%, with Black winning 44.7% and White 44.9% of 486 games. Of the main answers, 13…e4 scores lowest: 39.8%. Stockfish's first choice is also 13…exd4.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5 13. Qc2, the position after Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Main Line also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation (D68)”. Lichess data as of 9 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-orthodox-defense-classical-variation-2

https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-orthodox-defense-classical-variation-2