Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation (7. b3 Bb7)
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 Bb7
The Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D45, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 Bb7. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.
Engine evaluation: +0.31 (Stockfish, depth 32; best line 8. Bd3 Bb4 9. O-O Rc8 10. Bd2 O-O)
- ECO
- D45
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r2qkb1r/pb1n1ppp/1pp1pn2/3p4/2PP4/1PN1PN2/P1Q2PPP/R1B1KB1R w KQkq - 1 8- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 Bb7
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Master games
19 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 42%, draw 26%, Black 32%). The strongest:
- GM Laurent Fressinet (2672) – GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2768) 1-0 · World Rapid 2016 · 2016-12-26
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2733) – GM Evgeny Bareev (2611) 1-0 · Candidates Blitz 2024 · 2024-04-08
- GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2727) – GM Davor Rogic (2511) 1-0 · 26th TCh-CRO Div 1a 2017 · 2017-10-04
- GM Yangyi Yu (2708) – GM Baris Esen (2476) 1-0 · TCh-TUR Super League 2022 · 2022-08-18
- GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2658) – IM Dennes Abel (2441) 1-0 · World Rapid 2015 · 2015-10-10
Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation and its sub-variations
Comes from
Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation (6… b6 7. b3) 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3
Continuations
- Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense (7… Bb7 8. Bd3) D46 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 Bb7 8. 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.