Library/Openings/Queen's Gambit Declined/Semi-Tarrasch Defense/Pillsbury Variation ECO D40
Opening· 9 plies

Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Pillsbury Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO D40), reached after 9 half-moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bg5.

Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Pillsbury Variation ECO D40
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Black rook
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Black bishop
Black queen
Black king
Black bishop
Black rook
Black pawn
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Black knight
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White bishop
White pawn
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White rook
White queen
White king
White bishop
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: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Pillsbury Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code D40. 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 9 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bg5.

It belongs to the Queen's Gambit Declined family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Semi-Tarrasch Defense → Pillsbury Variation line). The immediate parent line is Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, transitioned via 5.Bg5.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.d4 d5, 2.c4 e6, 3.Nc3 Nf6, 4.Nf3 c5, 5.Bg5. 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.