Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5
The Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D17, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5. It is a line of the Slav Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 27 times by this move order. White won 59%, 4% were drawn and Black won 37%. The most popular continuation is 9. dxe5 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.32 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 g5)
- ECO
- D17
- Moves
- 16 plies
- FEN
r3kb1r/ppqn1ppp/2p2n2/4pb2/P1NP4/2N3P1/1P2PP1P/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 9- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 2000+ | 26 | |
| All | 27 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 9. dxe5 | 27 (100%) |
Master games
318 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 33%, Black 22%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.31-dag-c93c6a8-BT4-61 (3652) – Stockfish dev-20250118-8e3e22b (3683) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 27 Theory Bonus · 2025-01-24
- Stockfish dev-20250118-8e3e22b (3683) – LCZero 0.31-dag-c93c6a8-BT4-61 (3652) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 27 Theory Bonus · 2025-01-24
- LCZero0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-6147500 (3634) – Stockfishdev-20240513-e608eab8 (3662) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Superfinal 2024 · 2024-05-28
- Stockfishdev-20240513-e608eab8 (3662) – LCZero0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-6147500 (3634) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Superfinal 2024 · 2024-05-28
- GM Erigaisi Arjun (2782) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2804) 1/2-1/2 · 13th Norway Chess 2025 · 2025-05-31
Search all games of the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- AyaSen77 (2780) – shortparis (2640) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
- andy2342 (2608) – FM leonkiller77 (2552) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- FM Chessbasse16 (2543) – FM luisangel1808 (2529) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Krause Attack 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5
Continuations
- Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation, Morozevich Variation D17 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 g5
More Slav Defense lines (all)
- Slav Defense (2. c4 c6) D10
- Slav Defense (2… c6 3. Nc3) D10
- Slav Defense (3. Nc3 dxc4) D10
- Slav Defense: Diemer Gambit D10
- Slav Defense: Exchange Variation (2… c6 3. cxd5) D10
- Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Boor Attack D10
- Slav Defense: Slav Gambit, Alekhine Attack D10
- Slav Defense: Winawer Countergambit D10
- Slav Defense: Winawer Countergambit, Anti-Winawer Gambit D10
- Slav Defense: Bonet Gambit D11
- Slav Defense: Breyer Variation D11
- Slav Defense: Modern Line (2… c6 3. Nf3) D11
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.