- ECO code
- D06
- Moves
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4
- Family
- Queen's Gambit
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 8,858
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1848–2026
Queen's Gambit is the opening filed under ECO code D06, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit family; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 8,858 games on this line — the 15th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1848 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 2,633 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 36% of those games, 41% end in a draw, and Black wins 23%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 5 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 6 points.
From this position the most popular move is 2...c6, played in 4,073 games, followed by 2...e6 (3,217) and 2...dxc4 (1,226). 2...c6 leads into Slav Defense. After 2...c6 White scores 34% and Black 23%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (522 games); on the Black side, Shirov,A (521).
23 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Slav Defense; Queen's Gambit Declined; Slav Defense: Modern Line.
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 36% (3,175)
- Draws 41% (3,685)
- Black 23% (1,998)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2...c6 | 4,073 | 34/43/23 | Slav Defense |
| 2...e6 | 3,217 | 39/38/23 | Queen's Gambit Declined |
| 2...dxc4 | 1,226 | 32/49/19 | Queen's Gambit Accepted |
| 2...Nc6 | 97 | 48/26/26 | — |
| 2...e5 | 95 | 51/21/28 | — |
| 2...c5 | 90 | 28/29/43 | — |
| 2...Nf6 | 44 | 75/11/14 | — |
| 2...Bf5 | 12 | 34/33/33 | — |
Variations from this position
- Slav Defense · 2...c6 · 4,073 games
- Declined · 2...e6 · 3,217 games
- Slav Defense: Modern Line · 2...c6 3.Nf3 · 2,574 games
- Declined: Queen's Knight Variation · 2...e6 3.Nc3 · 2,147 games
- Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation · 2...c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 · 1,399 games
- Accepted · 2...dxc4 · 1,226 games
- Slav Defense · 2...c6 3.Nc3 · 1,130 games
- Declined: Normal Defense · 2...e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 · 899 games
- Slav Defense: Quiet Variation · 2...c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 · 737 games
- Semi-Slav Defense · 2...c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 · 671 games
- Accepted: Normal Variation · 2...dxc4 3.Nf3 · 662 games
- Slav Defense: Two Knights Attack · 2...c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 · 522 games
- Accepted · 2...dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 · 488 games
- Slav Defense: Alapin Variation · 2...c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 · 466 games
- Declined: Modern Variation · 2...e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 · 453 games
- Accepted: Normal Variation · 2...dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 · 435 games
- Declined: Charousek Variation · 2...e6 3.Nc3 Be7 · 382 games
- Slav Defense: Czech Variation · 2...c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 · 368 games
- Accepted: Saduleto Variation · 2...dxc4 3.e4 · 360 games
- Slav Defense: Quiet Variation, Schallopp Defense · 2...c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 · 321 games
- Accepted: Normal Variation, Traditional System · 2...dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 · 320 games
- Tarrasch Defense · 2...e6 3.Nc3 c5 · 320 games
- Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move Order · 2...e6 3.Nc3 c6 · 282 games
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 d5 · 11,560 games
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 522
- Marshall, Frank James 231
- Carlsen,M 223
As Black
- Shirov,A 521
- Carlsen,M 241
- Mamedyarov,S 185
Games per decade
- 1840s 1
- 1850s 5
- 1860s 1
- 1870s 2
- 1880s 14
- 1890s 130
- 1900s 320
- 1910s 89
- 1920s 250
- 1930s 294
- 1940s 116
- 1950s 209
- 1960s 241
- 1970s 138
- 1980s 272
- 1990s 875
- 2000s 1,516
- 2010s 1,752
- 2020s 2,633
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Klukin,Kirill | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 17th Mar 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Ohanyan,Emin | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Nakamura,Hi | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Fedoseev,Vl3 | Praggnanandhaa,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 88th Tata Steel Masters |
| Nakamura,Hi | Bluebaum,M | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 12th Feb 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | So,W | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 20th Jan 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queen's Gambit?
It is the opening with ECO code D06, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4. It belongs to the Queen's Gambit family.
Is the Queen's Gambit good for White or for Black?
In 8,858 master games on this line White wins 36%, 41% are drawn and Black wins 23%. 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?
2...c6 — played in 4,073 of the master games on this line, which leads into Slav Defense.
Which grandmasters play the Queen's Gambit?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (522), Marshall, Frank James (231), Carlsen,M (223); on the Black side Shirov,A (521), Carlsen,M (241), Mamedyarov,S (185).
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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