Queen's Gambit Declined: Lasker Defense or Orthodox Defense?

Which one is more safer/drawish for black? Black is playing not to lose.

Lasker Defense

1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Be7 5 e3 O-O 6 Nf3 h6 7 Bh4 Ne4 8 Bxe7 Qxe7

Orthodox Defense

1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Be7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 e3 Nbd7 7 Rc1 c6

1st suggestion: play Lasker if 5.e3 and othodox if 5.Nf3

Basically i would recommend the orthodox

also see cambridge springs 4...Nbd7

i think 2700 is a bit harsh, at master level i think is accurate, where they will try to acheive norms while using these defences to keep their "opponents at arms length" as mcdonald put it in the fort knox section of his french book.

I don't like either in the QGD. In the main, 1.d4 d5  2.c4 the Baltic Defense is a better, and much more entertaining way to decline, imo. 2....bf5

The baltic defense isnt nearly as good/sound as the orthodox nor the lasker variations in the QGD . 

when i played QG i was exceptionally happy to see the baltic, whites life is just so easy

If the lasker, then we can all just be like Aronian and play h4!

I don't play 1.d4 as white or 2...e6 as black so I don't know...

but these (lasker and orthodox as in OP) look very drawish if black gets to play e5.  Why would any masters play them, seem to have very little life in the positions.

because masters often try to draw with black, or at least fully equalise.

So unless he wants a draw, white would never go into this right?

well, its definately been played quite a lot. Its more likely played by people like Andersson who take no risks, but will go into the endgame with a slight edge and try to exploit it.

I still prefer the Lasker's defense although the Karpov-Yusopov game continues to haunt my thinking in a game when i play it. Still worth the risk.

Exactly. Why would you EVER aim for a draw? You can decide not to take doble edged risks if it would put you out of the money in a tournament or something, but besides that... wouldn't that just make ches very boring? Win against that guy and you will do even better in the tournament. 

i highly advise chekm8 with queen gambit is good plan i agre

A draw is easier to obtain than a win. probably 60% draw chance (in a balanced opening) to a 30-40% win chance (in a risky opening).

Theyre not 'aiming for a draw', if they can win they will. But they will be happy with a draw and therefore are ok to drain life from the position.

Either that or they play an opening which quickly gets into endgames, and rely on their superior endgame technique. check the games of ulf andersson 

I didn't know that the Orthodox Defense is Capablanca's favorite defense against 1. d4!

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=47544

There's an entire line named after him - The Capablanca freeing manuever