- ECO code
- D20
- Moves
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4
- Family
- Queen's Gambit Accepted
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 360
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1899–2026
Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto Variation is the opening filed under ECO code D20, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Accepted family and is known as the Saduleto Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 360 games on this line — the 269th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1899 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 110 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 40% of those games, 42% end in a draw, and Black wins 18%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 10 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 7 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3...e5, played in 136 games, followed by 3...Nf6 (125) and 3...c5 (36). After 3...e5 White scores 38% and Black 13%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Karpov, Anatoly (30 games); on the Black side, Nakamura,Hi (22).
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Results in master games
- White 40% (143)
- Draws 42% (154)
- Black 18% (63)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...e5 | 136 | 38/49/13 | — |
| 3...Nf6 | 125 | 37/41/22 | — |
| 3...c5 | 36 | 36/39/25 | — |
| 3...b5 | 31 | 42/39/19 | — |
| 3...Nc6 | 28 | 57/32/11 | — |
| 3...e6 | 4 | 75/0/25 | — |
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 d5 · 11,560 games
- Queen's Gambit · 1.d4 d5 2.c4 · 8,858 games
- Queen's Gambit Accepted · 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 · 1,226 games
Played most often by
As White
- Karpov, Anatoly 30
- Firouzja,Alireza 20
- Mamedyarov,S 20
As Black
- Nakamura,Hi 22
- Anand, Viswanathan 18
- Karjakin,Sergey 15
Games per decade
- 1890s 1
- 1920s 2
- 1960s 4
- 1970s 2
- 1980s 18
- 1990s 91
- 2000s 68
- 2010s 64
- 2020s 110
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firouzja,Alireza | Nakamura,Hi | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Nakamura,Hi | 1-0 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Fedoseev,Vl3 | 0-1 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Poland |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Nakamura,Hi | 1-0 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Yakubboev,Nodirbek | Mamedyarov,S | 0-1 | 2026 | 3rd UzChess Cup Masters |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code D20, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Accepted family.
Is the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto Variation good for White or for Black?
In 360 master games on this line White wins 40%, 42% are drawn and Black wins 18%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto Variation?
3...e5 — played in 136 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto Variation?
On the White side Karpov, Anatoly (30), Firouzja,Alireza (20), Mamedyarov,S (20); on the Black side Nakamura,Hi (22), Anand, Viswanathan (18), Karjakin,Sergey (15).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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