Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. exf6 gxh4 10. Ne5
The Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D44, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. exf6 gxh4 10. Ne5. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2 times by this move order. White won 50%, 0% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 10… Qxf6 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.58 (Stockfish, depth 31; best line 10… Qxf6 11. a4 a6 12. Be2 Nd7 13. axb5)
- ECO
- D44
- Moves
- 19 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/p4p2/2p1pP1p/1p2N3/2pP3p/2N5/PP3PPP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 1 10- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. exf6 gxh4 10. Ne5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 2 | |
| All | 2 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 10… Qxf6 | 2 (100%) |
Master games
35 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 28%, Black 26%). The strongest:
- GM Mikhail Mozharov (2560) – IM Jordi Fluvia Poyatos (2448) 1/2-1/2 · 4th Platja d'Aro Open · 2016-06-27
- IM Rasmus Skytte (2418) – GM Lars Schandorff (2522) 1/2-1/2 · 52nd TCh-DEN XtraCon 2013-14 · 2014-01-12
- GM Cristhian Camilo Rios Gomez (2505) – IM Johann Echavarria (2323) 1-0 · COL Olympiad Selection · 2019-12-13
- GM Vishnu Prasanna. V (2476) – FM Mergen Kakabayev (2285) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 7th July · 2020-07-07
- GM Danyyil Dvirnyy (2491) – FM Joshua Johnson (2267) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-CAT Gp3 2025 · 2025-02-15
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM DanPach (2449) – tm313 (2429) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- psilber (2310) – PoulesAurontDesDents (2338) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation (5… dxc4 6. e4) 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4
More Semi-Slav Defense lines (all)
- Semi-Slav Defense: Quiet Variation (4… e6 5. Nbd2) D30
- Semi-Slav Defense: Quiet Variation (5. Nbd2 Nbd7) D30
- Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move Order D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation, Portisch Gambit D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Gunderam Gambit D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Forgotten Variation D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Main Line D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Tolush Variation D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Noteboom Variation D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Noteboom Variation, Abrahams Variation D31
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.