Caissa Codex
D41

Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Kmoch Variation

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Kmoch Variation after 11. Bb5

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Statistics from Lichess

3,256 games: White 43.9% / Draw 10.8% / Black 45.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
1,5411,541
673673
618618
293293
8787
2020
55
44

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

Engine evaluation

+0.09 The position is about equal

Best play: 11... a6 12. Ba4 Nd7 13. Bc2 b5 14. O-O Bb7 15. a4 Qc7 16. axb5

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, Kmoch Variation (ECO D41, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 O-O 11. Bb5 (11 moves).

In 3,256 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 43.9%, Black 45.2% and 10.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 11…a6, in 47% of those games.

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How to play against the Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Kmoch Variation

The most played answer, 11…a6, also scores best for Black: 53.6%, with Black winning 48.5% and White 41.4% of 1,541 games. Of the main answers, 11…Bd7 scores lowest: 45.4%. Stockfish's first choice is also 11…a6.

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 4. Nf3 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 O-O 11. Bb5, the position after Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Kmoch Variation (D41)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-semi-tarrasch-defense-kmoch-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-semi-tarrasch-defense-kmoch-variation