Semi-Slav Defense: Romih Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4
The Semi-Slav Defense: Romih Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D46, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 3 times by this move order. White won 33%, 0% were drawn and Black won 67%. The most popular continuation is 7. O-O (33% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.39 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 O-O 9. O-O Re8)
- ECO
- D46
- Moves
- 12 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/pp1n1ppp/2p1pn2/3p4/1bPP4/2NBPN2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 4 7- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 1500-1999 | 2 | |
| All | 3 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7. O-O | 1 (33%) | |
| 7. a3 | 1 (33%) | |
| 7. Bd2 | 1 (33%) |
Master games
3 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 67%, draw 33%, Black 0%). The strongest:
- GM S.P. Sethuraman (2582) – FM Ghassan M. Ali Ajmed Al-Khattab (2162) 1-0 · Asian Nations Cup 2014 · 2014-05-24
- Andriy Sychevskyy (2137) – IM Vartan Kagramanianz (2209) 1/2-1/2 · X Cup of Chervonograd IM · 2014-11-28
- FM Minh Tu Le (1810) – WFM Le Dan Thuy Tran (2076) 1-0 · 5th HD Bank Cup 2015 · 2015-03-22
Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Romih Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- VitalyaArmatura (1808) – Mikhail_kuznets (1802) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 300 + 0s
- Santigato0007 (1709) – SVP_1947 (1748) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 600 + 0s
- samlouise2015 (979) – mTeUhFdi12345578 (986) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line (5… Nbd7 6. Bd3) 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3
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.