D37

Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights Variation

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Overview

Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights Variation is a gambit, classified under ECO code D37 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 begins with 7 plies and takes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 to reach the canonical position.

It is the root of 11 named variations, with Queen's Gambit Declined: Anti-Tartakower Variation, Petrosian Variation, Queen's Gambit Declined: Barmen Variation, Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack, and others among the most studied.

Counted recursively, this branch covers 42 sub-variations at all depths.

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: D37
Group: Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
Plies: 7
Direct variations: 11
Total in subtree: 42

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

15,695,339 games · White 51.1% / Draw 5.8% / Black 43.1%

Moves	Games	W / D / B
Be7	4,501,079
Bb4	3,683,294
c6	2,331,109
c5	1,840,595
dxc4	742,539
Nbd7	704,225
a6	580,650
b6	370,375

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:42:52

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Variations (11)

Show all 42 sub-variations (full subtree)