Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation (8. Bd3 a6)
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6
The Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D48, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6. 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 16 times by this move order. White won 38%, -1% were drawn and Black won 63%. The most popular continuation is 9. O-O (56% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.29 (Stockfish, depth 38; best line 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 axb5)
- ECO
- D48
- Moves
- 16 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/3n1ppp/p1p1pn2/1p6/3P4/2NBPN2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 9- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 5 | |
| 2000+ | 11 | |
| All | 16 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 9. O-O | 9 (56%) | |
| 9. e4 | 4 (25%) | |
| 9. a3 | 1 (6%) | |
| 9. a4 | 1 (6%) | |
| 9. b3 | 1 (6%) |
Master games
64 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 39%, draw 28%, Black 33%). The strongest:
- GM Yannick Pelletier (2578) – IM Mariya Muzychuk (2491) 0-1 · 2nd Karpov Playoff · 2013-10-31
- GM Mariya Muzychuk (2552) – IM Elisabeth Paehtz (2484) 1-0 · Monaco WGP 2019 · 2019-12-10
- GM Viacheslav V. Zakhartsov (2547) – IM Burak Firat (2459) 1-0 · 11th Vasylyshyn GM · 2014-11-19
- GM Dragan Kosic (2497) – IM Blazo Kalezic (2422) 1/2-1/2 · 66th ch-Montenegro 2014 · 2014-12-11
- GM Alexander Khalifman (2617) – CM Toomas Valgmae (2270) 1-0 · 17th Puhajarve Rapid · 2016-11-26
Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Xaalt (2483) – WillyJohnson (2481) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Neftegor (2421) – BlazaV6691 (2393) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- VStamenkov (2364) – BattlesChess (2392) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation (7. Bxc4 b5) 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5
Continuations
- Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation (9. e4 c5) D48 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5
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.