- ECO code
- D35
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5
- Family
- Queen's Gambit Declined
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 320
- Average game length
- 47 moves
- Years covered
- 1952–2026
Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation is the opening filed under ECO code D35, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Declined family and is known as the Exchange Variation, Positional Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 320 games on this line — the 292nd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1952 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 232 games. An average game here lasts 47 moves.
White wins 36% of those games, 35% end in a draw, and Black wins 29%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 5...c6, played in 195 games, followed by 5...Be7 (82) and 5...Bb4 (31). After 5...c6 White scores 33% and Black 29%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (31 games); on the Black side, Carlsen,M (22).
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Results in master games
- White 36% (115)
- Draws 35% (112)
- Black 29% (93)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5...c6 | 195 | 33/38/29 | — |
| 5...Be7 | 82 | 43/34/23 | — |
| 5...Bb4 | 31 | 38/23/39 | — |
| 5...Nbd7 | 7 | 42/29/29 | — |
| 5...Be6 | 3 | 33/0/67 | — |
| 5...a6 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 5...Bf5 | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 · 29,631 games
- Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 · 22,243 games
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 · 390 games
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 31
- So,W 21
- Caruana,F 20
As Black
- Carlsen,M 22
- Vachier Lagrave,M 20
- Kramnik,V 19
Games per decade
- 1950s 9
- 1960s 2
- 1980s 19
- 1990s 15
- 2000s 10
- 2010s 33
- 2020s 232
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caruana,F | Aravindh,Chithambaram VR. | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | Svane,R | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Sarana,A | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 16th Jun 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Andreikin,D | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 12th May 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son | 0-1 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 25th Jun 2026 |
| Sarana,A | Carlsen,M | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 29th Jan 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code D35, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Declined family.
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation good for White or for Black?
In 320 master games on this line White wins 36%, 35% are drawn and Black wins 29%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation?
5...c6 — played in 195 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (31), So,W (21), Caruana,F (20); on the Black side Carlsen,M (22), Vachier Lagrave,M (20), Kramnik,V (19).
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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