Semi-Slav Defense: Bogoljubow Variation

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Be7

Semi-Slav Defense: Bogoljubow Variation after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Be7 87654321abcdefgh

The Semi-Slav Defense: Bogoljubow Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D46, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Be7. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. White is to move.

In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 6 times by this move order. White won 50%, 0% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 7. O-O (50% of games).

Engine evaluation: +0.35 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 7. b3 O-O 8. O-O b6 9. Bb2 Bb7)

ECO
D46
Moves
12 plies
FEN
r1bqk2r/pp1nbppp/2p1pn2/3p4/2PP4/2NBPN2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 4 7
PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Be7

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Results by rating

Average ratingGamesWhite / draw / Black
1500-19992100%
2000+425%75%
All650%50%

Most played moves

MoveGamesWhite / draw / Black
7. O-O3 (50%)100%
7. b31 (17%)100%
7. e41 (17%)100%
7. c51 (17%)100%

Master games

33 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 28%, Black 27%). The strongest:

Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Bogoljubow Variation and its sub-variations

Highest-rated Lichess games

Comes from

Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line (5… Nbd7 6. Bd3) 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3

More Semi-Slav Defense lines (all)

Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.