Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Rabinovich Variation
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 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Ng4
The Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Rabinovich Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D49, 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 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Ng4. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. White is to move.
This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.
Engine evaluation: +0.53 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 12. Nd6+ Bxd6 13. exd6 Qa5+ 14. Qd2 Qd5)
- ECO
- D49
- Moves
- 22 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/3n1ppp/p3p3/1N2P3/3p2n1/3B1N2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 1 12- 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 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Ng4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Master games
4 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 0%, draw 75%, Black 25%). The strongest:
- GM Natalia Zhukova (2468) – IM Mariya Muzychuk (2530) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-SRB Premier w 2014 · 2014-09-08
- GM Csaba Horvath (2526) – IM Pavel Vavra (2376) 1/2-1/2 · 21st TCh-CRO 1b 2012 · 2012-09-26
- IM Marina Korneva (2371) – IM Mariya Muzychuk (2524) 0-1 · World Blitz Women 2014 · 2014-04-27
- Claus Schaeffner (2165) – Joaquin, Dr. Diaz (2176) 1/2-1/2 · Bundesliga 2012-13 · 2012-12-09
Comes from
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Blumenfeld Variation 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 cxd4 11. Nxb5
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.