Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation (7. d4 Nbd7)
1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. b3 Bd6 6. Bb2 O-O 7. d4 Nbd7
The Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D45, reached after 1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. b3 Bd6 6. Bb2 O-O 7. d4 Nbd7. 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: +0.13 (Stockfish, depth 41; best line 8. Be2 Qe7 9. Qc2 b6 10. O-O Bb7)
- ECO
- D45
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r1bq1rk1/pp1n1ppp/2pbpn2/3p4/2PP4/1PN1PN2/PB3PPP/R2QKB1R w KQ - 1 8- PGN
1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. b3 Bd6 6. Bb2 O-O 7. d4 Nbd7
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Master games
71 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 51%, draw 24%, Black 25%). The strongest:
- GM Liren Ding (2791) – GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2778) 1/2-1/2 · Online Nations Cup Prelim · 2020-05-08
- GM Dmitry Andreikin (2712) – GM Dmitry Jakovenko (2747) 1-0 · 71st ch-RUS TB 2018 · 2018-08-05
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2726) – GM Ray Robson (2673) 0-1 · PRO League Group Stage · 2020-02-10
- GM Vadim Zvjaginsev (2627) – GM Hao Wang (2756) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-CHN 2019 · 2019-12-04
- GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan (2624) – GM Jeffery Xiong (2710) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 3rd Aug · 2021-08-03
Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation and its sub-variations
Comes from
Zukertort Opening (1. Nf3 d5) 1. Nf3 d5
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.