Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Exchange Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
143,324 games: White 49.3% / Draw 9.1% / Black 41.7%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 119,632120K | ||
| 12,86913K | ||
| 7,6137,613 | ||
| 2,0872,087 | ||
| 650650 | ||
| 299299 | ||
| 8686 | ||
| 2727 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.36 White is slightly better
Best play: 6... Nxc3 7. bxc3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 O-O 11. Bc4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Exchange Variation (ECO D41, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 (6 moves).
In 143,324 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.3%, Black 41.7% and 9.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 6…Nxc3, in 83% of those games.
It continues into one named variation.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Exchange Variation
The most played answer, 6…Nxc3, also scores best for Black: 46.8%, with Black winning 42.0% and White 48.4% of 120K games. Of the main answers, 6…Nf6 scores lowest: 40.5%. Stockfish's first choice is also 6…Nxc3.
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
Variations (1)
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Exchange Variation (D41)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-semi-tarrasch-defense-exchange-variation