Caissa Codex
D50

Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Canal Variation

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Canal Variation after 5…Qb6

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

Play any move on the board to explore from there, or step through the line with ‹ › and the arrow keys.

Statistics from Lichess

1,488 games: White 36.9% / Draw 5.9% / Black 57.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
828828
191191
160160
129129
7575
3737
2727
99

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 6, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.79 White is better

Best play: 6. Bxf6 Qxb2 7. Rc1 gxf6 8. e3 cxd4 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7+ Nxd7

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

Overview

Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Canal Variation (ECO D50, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 c5 5. cxd5 Qb6 (5 moves).

In 1,488 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 36.9%, Black 57.2% and 5.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. Bxf6, in 56% of those games.

Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.

Write a description or report a mistake
What would you like to send?

Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links). Submissions are reviewed before publishing.

How to play against the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Canal Variation

6. Na4 scores best for White: 46.6%, with White winning 45.0% and Black 51.9% of 160 games. The most played, 6. Bxf6, scores 41.1% in 828 games, and 6. dxc5 scores lowest: 34.5%. Stockfish's first choice is 6. Bxf6.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White'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: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Canal Variation (D50)”. Lichess data as of 6 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-pseudo-tarrasch-variation-canal-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-pseudo-tarrasch-variation-canal-variation