Current position
Queen's Gambit Declined: Baltic Defense
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6
The Queen's Gambit Declined starts with 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 and is catalogued under ECO D30, in the closed games half of the book. The catalog indexes 198 lines inside it, grouped into 138 named variations, and the position after those moves has 1 playable continuation to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
Current setup
Move ideas
Takes central space with a protected pawn and frees the queen’s bishop.
Idea: Build a stable center that supports a broad positional setup.
Mirrors White’s central claim and prevents an easy e4 expansion.
Idea: Establish a firm center and develop behind the pawn chain.
Advances the c-pawn to gain queenside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Develops the bishop to f5, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Captures the pawn on d5 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the center and reshape the center for the next phase.
Captures the knight on b1 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Repositions the queen to a4, where it influences a new part of the board, forcing the king to answer a check.
Idea: Coordinate threats carefully while avoiding unnecessary tempi against the queen.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under Queen's Gambit Declined. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
114 more named lines sit inside this family — the tree above walks all of them.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the Queen's Gambit Declined.