Theoria
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Queen's Gambit Declined

Lasker Defense, Main Line

D57solidpositional

  1. 1.d4d5
  2. 2.c4e6
  3. 3.Nc3Be7
  4. 4.Nf3Nf6
  5. 5.Bg5h6
  6. 6.Bh4O-O
  7. 7.e3Ne4
  8. 8.Bxe7Qxe7
  9. 9.cxd5Nxc3
  10. 10.bxc3
222 games52%38%

Main line of the Lasker Defense in the Queen's Gambit Declined, where two minor-piece trades lead to a simplified, roughly balanced middlegame.

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About the Main Line

The main line of the Lasker Defense completes the exchanges at which ...Ne4 aims. After 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. cxd5 Nxc3 10. bxc3, two pairs of minor pieces are gone and White's b-pawn has been drawn to c3. Black is briefly a pawn down and recovers it with 10...exd5, played in practically every game. White keeps a c3–d4 pawn chain and the half-open b-file. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, though White scores better in online games.

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