Queen's Gambit Declined: Vienna Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
124,981 games: White 50.4% / Draw 5.8% / Black 43.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 79,39879K | ||
| 40,59141K | ||
| 4,2874,287 | ||
| 691691 | ||
| 1414 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.20 The position is about equal
Best play: 5. Nc3 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Qa4+ Nc6 8. e3 O-O 9. Be2 dxc4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Queen's Gambit Declined: Vienna Variation (ECO D30, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a declined gambit in the Queen's Gambit Declined: Traditional Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Bg5 Bb4+ (4 moves).
In 124,981 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.4%, Black 43.9% and 5.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. Nc3, in 64% 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: Vienna Variation
5. Nbd2 scores best for White: 53.4%, with White winning 50.5% and Black 43.7% of 41K games. The most played answer, 5. Nc3, scores lowest: 53.3% in 79K games. Stockfish's first choice is 5. Nc3.
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: Vienna Variation (D30)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-gambit-declined-vienna-variation