Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense (6. Bd3 Bd6)
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6
The Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense 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 Bd6. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 21 times by this move order. White won 52%, 15% were drawn and Black won 33%. The most popular continuation is 7. O-O (67% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.53 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 7. e4 Nxe4 8. Nxe4 dxe4 9. Bxe4 e5)
- ECO
- D46
- Moves
- 12 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/pp1n1ppp/2pbpn2/3p4/2PP4/2NBPN2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 4 7- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 1500-1999 | 6 | |
| 2000+ | 14 | |
| All | 21 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7. O-O | 14 (67%) | |
| 7. e4 | 3 (14%) | |
| 7. c5 | 2 (10%) | |
| 7. a3 | 1 (5%) | |
| 7. b3 | 1 (5%) |
Master games
117 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 50%, draw 19%, Black 31%). The strongest:
- FM Roman Kezin (2471) – GM Alexander Motylev (2661) 0-1 · TCh-RUS Blitz 2018 · 2018-10-10
- GM Humpy Koneru (2586) – GM Mariya Muzychuk (2539) 1/2-1/2 · World Blitz Women 2021 · 2021-12-29
- GM Gawain C B Maroroa Jones (2670) – WGM Elena Tomilova (2358) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 13th Oct · 2020-10-13
- GM Diptayan Ghosh (2544) – IM Sayantan Das (2451) 1-0 · 17th Delhi Open 2019 · 2019-01-11
- GM Fernando Peralta (2563) – FM David Astasio Lopez (2424) 1-0 · 6th ch-Iberoamericano · 2015-10-30
Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Neftegor (2496) – archifoot (2487) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Neftegor (2484) – pogu9900 (2474) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Neftegor (2489) – Zeppski88 (2446) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
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
Continuations
- Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense (6… Bd6 7. Qc2) D46 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Qc2
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.