Tree path 6 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: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Pillsbury 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: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Pillsbury Variation D40 you are here
Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Pillsbury Variation
Overview
Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Pillsbury Variation is a gambit, classified under ECO code D40 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.
It is reached after 9 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bg5.
It is a variation of Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense, 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
- D40
- Group
- Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
- Plies
- 9
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
713,882 games · White 49.3% / Draw 5.8% / Black 44.9%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Be7 | 263,248 | |
| cxd4 | 220,354 | |
| Nc6 | 107,460 | |
| dxc4 | 40,455 | |
| h6 | 35,734 | |
| Nbd7 | 30,016 | |
| Qb6 | 5,204 | |
| a6 | 3,587 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:09:11
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