About this opening
Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings,
classified under code D85. ECO group D (D00–D99)
covers closed games and semi-closed games beginning 1.d4 d5, covering the Queen's Gambit, Slav, Grünfeld and related queen-pawn structures. This particular variation is reached
after 13 half-moves from the
starting position, with the move sequence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3.
It belongs to the Grünfeld Defense family.
Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Exchange Variation → Modern Exchange Variation line). The immediate parent line is Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, transitioned via 7.Nf3.
The opening sequence in prose form: 1.d4 Nf6, 2.c4 g6, 3.Nc3 d5, 4.cxd5 Nxd5, 5.e4 Nxc3, 6.bxc3 Bg7. From this position exactly one named continuation is recorded in the encyclopaedia.