Queen's Gambit Declined: Semmering Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
689 games: White 54.6% / Draw 7.1% / Black 38.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 343343 | ||
| 218218 | ||
| 7575 | ||
| 2323 | ||
| 1111 | ||
| 99 | ||
| 55 | ||
| 22 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 28, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.37 White is slightly better
Best play: 7. O-O Be7 8. cxd5 exd5 9. b3 O-O 10. Bb2 b6 11. dxc5 Nxc5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Queen's Gambit Declined: Semmering Variation (ECO D30, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Semi-Slav Defense: Quiet Variation, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. Bd3 c5 (6 moves).
In 689 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 54.6%, Black 38.3% and 7.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. O-O, in 50% of those games.
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: Semmering Variation
7. cxd5 scores best for White: 58.3%, with White winning 54.1% and Black 37.6% of 218 games. The most played answer, 7. O-O, scores lowest: 56.6% in 343 games. Stockfish's first choice is 7. O-O.
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: Semmering Variation (D30)”. Lichess data as of 28 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-semmering-variation