- ECO code
- D35
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5
- Family
- Queen's Gambit Declined
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 390
- Average game length
- 46 moves
- Years covered
- 1939–2026
Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation is the opening filed under ECO code D35, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Declined family and is known as the Exchange Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 390 games on this line — the 249th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1939 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 279 games. An average game here lasts 46 moves.
White wins 37% of those games, 35% end in a draw, and Black wins 28%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 4...exd5, played in 334 games, followed by 4...Nxd5 (56). After 4...exd5 White scores 37% and Black 29%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (36 games); on the Black side, Kramnik,V (23).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 37% (143)
- Draws 35% (137)
- Black 28% (110)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4...exd5 | 334 | 37/34/29 | — |
| 4...Nxd5 | 56 | 38/39/23 | — |
Variations from this position
- Positional Variation · 4...exd5 5.Bg5 · 320 games
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
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 36
- Caruana,F 25
- So,W 22
As Black
- Kramnik,V 23
- Carlsen,M 22
- Vachier Lagrave,M 22
Games per decade
- 1930s 1
- 1950s 13
- 1960s 4
- 1980s 20
- 1990s 15
- 2000s 11
- 2010s 47
- 2020s 279
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caruana,F | Aravindh,Chithambaram VR. | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Schnaider,Ilan | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 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 |
| So,W | Firouzja,Alireza | 1-0 | 2026 | 14th Norway Armageddon |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code D35, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Declined family.
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation good for White or for Black?
In 390 master games on this line White wins 37%, 35% are drawn and Black wins 28%. 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 Declined: Exchange Variation?
4...exd5 — played in 334 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (36), Caruana,F (25), So,W (22); on the Black side Kramnik,V (23), Carlsen,M (22), Vachier Lagrave,M (22).
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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