- ECO code
- D38
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4
- Family
- Queen's Gambit Declined
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 707
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1926–2026
Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense is the opening filed under ECO code D38, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Declined family and is known as the Ragozin Defense; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 707 games on this line — the 158th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1926 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 404 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 31% of those games, 48% end in a draw, and Black wins 21%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 7 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 13 points.
From this position the most popular move is 5.Bg5, played in 272 games, followed by 5.cxd5 (190) and 5.Qa4+ (150). After 5.Bg5 White scores 24% and Black 19%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (64 games); on the Black side, Aronian,L (103).
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 31% (220)
- Draws 48% (337)
- Black 21% (150)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.Bg5 | 272 | 24/57/19 | — |
| 5.cxd5 | 190 | 37/43/20 | — |
| 5.Qa4+ | 150 | 35/41/24 | — |
| 5.e3 | 57 | 37/37/26 | — |
| 5.Qb3 | 21 | 24/43/33 | — |
| 5.a3 | 7 | 14/57/29 | — |
| 5.Bd2 | 4 | 50/50/0 | — |
| 5.g3 | 3 | 67/0/33 | — |
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
- Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-Indian · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 · 7,325 games
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 · 2,814 games
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 64
- Carlsen,M 34
- Ding Liren 33
As Black
- Aronian,L 103
- Giri,A 43
- Caruana,F 39
Games per decade
- 1920s 1
- 1930s 1
- 1950s 5
- 1960s 3
- 1970s 4
- 1980s 12
- 1990s 11
- 2000s 51
- 2010s 215
- 2020s 404
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sindarov,Javokhir | Giri,A | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super ROM Classic |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Gukesh,D | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Poland |
| Sindarov,Javokhir | Giri,A | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE Candidates 2026 |
| Praggnanandhaa,R | Aravindh,Chithambaram VR. | 1-0 | 2026 | 88th Tata Steel Masters |
| Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | Woodward,Andy | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 31st Sigeman & Co 2026 |
| Fedoseev,Vl3 | Caruana,F | 1-0 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Poland |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code D38, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Declined family.
Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense good for White or for Black?
In 707 master games on this line White wins 31%, 48% are drawn and Black wins 21%. 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: Ragozin Defense?
5.Bg5 — played in 272 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (64), Carlsen,M (34), Ding Liren (33); on the Black side Aronian,L (103), Giri,A (43), Caruana,F (39).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
Play this opening against the Katuranga bot, then review the game — the engine marks every brilliant move, mistake and blunder.