Caissa Codex
D34

Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense, Stoltz Variation

Chess diagram: Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense, Stoltz Variation after 10…b6

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Statistics from Lichess

811 games: White 46.2% / Draw 9.4% / Black 44.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
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5656
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Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.30 White is slightly better

Best play: 11. dxc5 bxc5 12. Ne1 Rc8 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Bxd5 Bxd5 15. Qxd5 Bxc3

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

Overview

Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense, Stoltz Variation (ECO D34, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense, Pseudo-Tarrasch, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Rc1 b6 (10 moves).

In 811 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.2%, Black 44.4% and 9.4% were drawn. White's most played move here is 11. dxc5, in 30% of those games.

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How to play against the Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense, Stoltz Variation

11. Qa4 scores best for White: 61.3%, with White winning 56.5% and Black 33.9% of 115 games. The most played answer, 11. dxc5, scores lowest: 50.8% in 241 games. Stockfish's first choice is 11. dxc5.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4. cxd5 exd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Rc1 b6, the position after Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense, Pseudo-Tarrasch also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense, Stoltz Variation (D34)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-tarrasch-defense-stoltz-variation

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