Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation (9. e4 c5)
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
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 9. e4 c5. 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 3 times by this move order. White won 67%, 0% were drawn and Black won 33%. The most popular continuation is 10. e5 (67% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.24 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 axb5 12. exf6 gxf6)
- ECO
- D48
- Moves
- 18 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/3n1ppp/p3pn2/1pp5/3PP3/2NB1N2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 10- 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 9. e4 c5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 3 | |
| All | 3 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 10. e5 Meran Variation, Old Variation | 2 (67%) | |
| 10. d5 | 1 (33%) |
Master games
41 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 51%, draw 22%, Black 27%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2764) – GM Laurent Fressinet (2700) 0-1 · SportAccord Rapid Men 2012 · 2012-12-14
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2726) – GM Baris Esen (2575) 1-0 · Turkish Bank Chess League 2012 · 2012-07-21
- GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili (2659) – GM Sune Berg Hansen (2577) 1/2-1/2 · 40th Olympiad Open · 2012-09-09
- GM S.P. Sethuraman (2535) – GM Dimitrios Mastrovasilis (2616) 1-0 · 21st Kavala Open A · 2012-07-27
- GM Sanan Sjugirov (2643) – IM Vladislav Artemiev (2474) 0-1 · Russian Rapid GP Final 2012 · 2012-12-23
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
- Drrovadandara (2114) – CM PchelkinVK (2501) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 600 + 0s
- artemiev9 (2289) – jkg22 (2306) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
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
Continuations
- Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Old Variation 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 10. e5
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.