The Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation is a variation of the Grünfeld Defense, catalogued as ECO D86. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Nc6, reaching the position shown below after 16 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4 and e4. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is White to move after eight moves. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted; White’s a-file pawn is isolated.
On the Grünfeld Defense generally: A hypermodern defense where Black allows White a big center then undermines it with ...d5.
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The Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Nc6. It is a variation of the Grünfeld Defense and is catalogued as ECO D86.
The Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation is ECO D86. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Grünfeld Defense.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Nc6 at +0.34 at depth 18, which is a slight pull for White, within normal opening margins. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4 and e4. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is White to move. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted; White’s a-file pawn is isolated.