Library/Openings/Queen's Gambit Declined/Chigorin Defense/Exchange Variation/Costa's Line ECO D07
Opening· 15 plies

Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, Costa's Line

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO D07), reached after 15 half-moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. cxd5 Qxd5 4. e3 e5 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 exd4 8. Ne2.

Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, Costa's Line ECO D07
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Black rook
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Black king
Black knight
Black rook
Black pawn
Black pawn
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Black pawn
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Black knight
Black queen
Black pawn
White bishop
White pawn
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White pawn
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White rook
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End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, Costa's Line is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code D07. 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 15 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. cxd5 Qxd5 4. e3 e5 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 exd4 8. Ne2.

It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Declined family. Within that family this is a level-3 branch (the Chigorin Defense → Exchange Variation → Costa's Line line). The immediate parent line is Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation, transitioned via 8.Ne2.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.d4 d5, 2.c4 Nc6, 3.cxd5 Qxd5, 4.e3 e5, 5.Nc3 Bb4, 6.Bd2 Bxc3. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.