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
The Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D47, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. White is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 48 times by this move order. White won 42%, 6% were drawn and Black won 52%. The most popular continuation is 8. Bd3 (88% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.07 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 8. Bd3 b4 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Bb7)
- ECO
- D47
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/p2n1ppp/2p1pn2/1p6/2BP4/2N1PN2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 8- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 12 | |
| 2000+ | 36 | |
| All | 48 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. Bd3 | 42 (88%) | |
| 8. Bb3 | 4 (8%) | |
| 8. Be2 | 2 (4%) |
Master games
371 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 42%, draw 28%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2764) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2786) 1/2-1/2 · FIDE GP Tashkent · 2012-11-27
- GM Anish Giri (2764) – GM Pentala Harikrishna (2732) 1-0 · Airthings Masters Prelim · 2020-12-27
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2760) – GM Teimour Radjabov (2713) 1/2-1/2 · Vugar Gashimov Mem 2014 · 2014-04-21
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2726) – GM Richard Rapport (2715) 1/2-1/2 · 2nd Kasimdzhanov Cup 2024 · 2024-07-09
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2726) – GM Ernesto Inarkiev (2707) 1-0 · Turkish Bank Chess League 2012 · 2012-07-18
Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- MIGV (2616) – KhatanbaatarGM (2701) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- MIGV (2606) – classic_chess3456 (2640) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Neftegor (2493) – zbmkbkgbkgmcskcjdovd (2488) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Semi-Slav Defense: Semi-Meran Variation 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4
Continuations
- Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation (8. Bd3 a6) 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
- Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Wade Variation D47 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7
- Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense (10… O-O 11. Qc2) D46 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O Bb7 10. a3 O-O 11. 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.