The Lasker Defense, Main Line is a variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, catalogued as ECO D57. The line runs 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. cxd5 Nxc3 10. bxc3, reaching the position shown below after 19 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4 and d5, and one pawn capture is available, so the structure has not settled yet. Development is level at three minor pieces each, and White is up a pawn of material. It is Black to move after ten moves. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted; White has doubled pawns on the d-file; White’s a-file pawn is isolated.
On the Queen's Gambit Declined generally: A solid and respected response to the Queen's Gambit. Black maintains a strong central presence.
You can play through this variation move by move in your browser — Learn mode walks the line with an explanation at each step, and Drill mode replays it from memory so you find out whether you actually know it. No account is required.
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The Lasker Defense, Main Line goes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. cxd5 Nxc3 10. bxc3. It is a variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined and is catalogued as ECO D57.
The Lasker Defense, Main Line is ECO D57. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. cxd5 Nxc3 10. bxc3 at +0.22 at depth 18, which is balanced. 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 d5, and one pawn capture is available, so the structure has not settled yet. Development is level at three minor pieces each, and White is up a pawn of material. It is Black to move. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted; White has doubled pawns on the d-file; White’s a-file pawn is isolated.