- ECO code
- D02
- Moves
- 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6
- Family
- Queen's Pawn Game
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 1,390
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1890–2026
Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation is the opening filed under ECO code D02, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6. It belongs to the Queen's Pawn Game family and is known as the Symmetrical Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 1,390 games on this line — the 86th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1890 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 691 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 39% of those games, 33% 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 3.c4, played in 729 games, followed by 3.Bf4 (306) and 3.e3 (157). After 3.c4 White scores 34% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Grischuk,A (121 games); on the Black side, Shirov,A (102).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Queen's Pawn Game: London System.
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 39% (537)
- Draws 33% (458)
- Black 28% (395)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.c4 | 729 | 34/40/26 | — |
| 3.Bf4 | 306 | 44/25/31 | Queen's Pawn Game: London System |
| 3.e3 | 157 | 40/27/33 | — |
| 3.Bg5 | 108 | 60/16/24 | — |
| 3.g3 | 50 | 24/36/40 | — |
| 3.c3 | 32 | 31/38/31 | — |
| 3.Nbd2 | 4 | 25/75/0 | — |
| 3.a3 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Queen's Pawn Game: London System · 3.Bf4 · 306 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
- Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation · 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 · 1,968 games
Played most often by
As White
- Grischuk,A 121
- Gukesh,D 39
- Alekhine, Alexander 38
As Black
- Shirov,A 102
- Abdusattorov,Nodirbek 54
- Carlsen,M 32
Games per decade
- 1890s 27
- 1900s 27
- 1910s 68
- 1920s 71
- 1930s 57
- 1940s 24
- 1950s 13
- 1960s 22
- 1970s 9
- 1980s 45
- 1990s 69
- 2000s 111
- 2010s 156
- 2020s 691
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | Holt,C | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
| Nihal,Sarin | Vachier Lagrave,M | 1-0 | 2026 | Chess.com Open Playoffs |
| Nakamura,Hi | Sjugirov,S | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 24th Feb 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Punin,Andrii | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 5th May 2026 |
| Theodorou,Nikolas | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn3 |
| Gukesh,D | Aravindh,Chithambaram VR. | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 88th Tata Steel Masters |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code D02, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6. It belongs to the Queen's Pawn Game family.
Is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation good for White or for Black?
In 1,390 master games on this line White wins 39%, 33% 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 Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation?
3.c4 — played in 729 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation?
On the White side Grischuk,A (121), Gukesh,D (39), Alekhine, Alexander (38); on the Black side Shirov,A (102), Abdusattorov,Nodirbek (54), Carlsen,M (32).
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.