The Orthodox Defense, Pillsbury Variation is a variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, catalogued as ECO D63. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3, reaching the position shown below after 17 half-moves.
Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d4, Black on d5). Development is level at four minor pieces each. It is Black to move after nine moves. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted.
On the Queen's Gambit Declined generally: A solid and respected response to the Queen's Gambit. Black maintains a strong central presence.
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The Orthodox Defense, Pillsbury Variation goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3. It is a variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined and is catalogued as ECO D63.
The Orthodox Defense, Pillsbury Variation is ECO D63. 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 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Bd3 at +0.38 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.
Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d4, Black on d5). Development is level at four minor pieces each. It is Black to move. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted.