Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation, Center Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4
The Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation, Center Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D45, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1 times by this move order. White won 100%, 0% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 7… e5 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.14 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 7… Nxe4 8. Nxe4 dxe4 9. Qxe4 e5 10. dxe5)
- ECO
- D45
- Moves
- 13 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/pp1n1ppp/2pbpn2/3p4/2PPP3/2N2N2/PPQ2PPP/R1B1KB1R b KQkq - 0 7- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| All | 1 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7… e5 | 1 (100%) |
Master games
10 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 20%, draw 40%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- IM Ilja Schneider (2481) – GM Viswanathan Anand (2803) 1/2-1/2 · World Blitz 2015 · 2015-10-13
- IM Ilja Schneider (2517) – GM Peter Michalik (2557) 0-1 · European Blitz 2017 · 2017-12-15
- IM Ilja Schneider (2484) – IM Robert Baskin (2390) 1/2-1/2 · ch-GER Blitz 2021 · 2021-08-01
- GM Pablo Ricardi (2481) – IM Daniel Contin (2349) 1-0 · La Punta Closed 2013 · 2013-05-31
- FM Niranjan Navalgund (2168) – GM Vasif Durarbayli (2627) 0-1 · Titled Tue 28th May Early · 2024-05-28
Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation, Center Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- rhinoceros_hornbill (1159) – Azalea66 (1136) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
Semi-Slav Defense 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6
Continuations
- Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation, Center Variation, Mikhalchishin Line D45 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Qxe4 e5 10. dxe5
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.