Tree path 3 levels Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights Variation › Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense › Queen's Gambit Declined: Westphalian Variation
- Chess Codex
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights Variation D37
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense D38
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Westphalian Variation D38 you are here
Queen's Gambit Declined: Westphalian Variation
Overview
Queen's Gambit Declined: Westphalian Variation belongs to the gambit family of chess openings (ECO D38, Closed & Semi-Closed Games). It trades material for attacking chances — a classic trade-off that has fascinated players from the Romantic era to modern correspondence chess.
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 12 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 c5.
The line refines Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense, which traces back to the root opening Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights Variation.
Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.
- ECO code
- D38
- Group
- Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
- Plies
- 12
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
53,596 games · White 45.9% / Draw 5.9% / Black 48.2%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| cxd5 | 22,605 | |
| a3 | 7,447 | |
| Bd3 | 7,176 | |
| Be2 | 4,827 | |
| dxc5 | 4,303 | |
| Bxf6 | 2,222 | |
| Rc1 | 1,822 | |
| Qc2 | 1,360 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:42:24
Write a description
Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links).
Submissions are reviewed before publishing.