Semi-Slav Defense

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6

The Semi-Slav Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO D43, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6. White is to move. 9 named lines continue from this position.

In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,929 times by this move order. White won 50%, 7% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 5. Bg5 (50% of games).

Engine evaluation: +0.12 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O)

ECO: D43
Moves: 8 plies
FEN: rnbqkb1r/pp3ppp/2p1pn2/3p4/2PP4/2N2N2/PP2PPPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5
PGN: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Results by rating

Average rating	Games	White / draw / Black
0-1499	188	48%48%
1500-1999	811	50%44%
2000+	930	51%40%
All	1,929	50%43%

Most played moves

Move	Games	White / draw / Black
5. Bg5	971 (50%)	51%42%
5. e3	396 (21%)	49%44%
5. g3	154 (8%)	54%41%
5. Bf4	151 (8%)	50%42%
5. cxd5	140 (7%)	45%50%
5. Qc2	34 (2%)	50%44%
5. a3	27 (1%)	59%37%
5. Qd3	19 (1%)	68%21%

Master games

5,328 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 29%, Black 25%). The strongest:

KomodoMCTS 2503.05 (3809) – Ethereal 12.01 (3810) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2020-03-19
Ethereal 12.01 (3810) – KomodoMCTS 2503.05 (3809) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Premier 2020 · 2020-03-18
Komodo 2522.05 (3794) – AllieStein v0.6-n14.3beta (3815) 1/2-1/2 · 5th TCEC Cup 2020 · 2020-04-27
AllieStein v0.6-n14.3beta (3815) – Komodo 2522.05 (3794) 1-0 · 5th TCEC Cup 2020 · 2020-04-27
Stockfish 202005232210 (3796) – Ethereal 12.19 (3708) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 18 Premier 2020 · 2020-06-14

Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense and its sub-variations

Highest-rated Lichess games

smallsteps99 (2668) – GM cjota95 (2809) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
GM enmQ (2819) – flying_knights456 (2617) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
GM enmQ (2813) – flying_knights456 (2622) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s

Comes from

Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3

Continuations

Semi-Slav Defense Accepted D44 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4
Queen's Gambit Declined (5… Nbd7 6. e3) D52 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3
Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit D43 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4
Semi-Slav Defense: Moscow Variation D43 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6
Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation, Center Variation D45 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4
Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation, Shabalov Attack D45 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. g4
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Lundin Variation D47 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 b4
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Reynolds' Variation D48 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. d5
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Sozin Variation (11. Nxb5 Nxe5) D49 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5

More Semi-Slav Defense lines (all)

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.