Semi-Slav Defense
What is the Semi-Slav Defense?
The Semi-Slav Defense is a chess opening that begins with 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6. It is classified under ECO D30–D49 and has 72 named variations. Black chooses it with the move e6.
Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6
ECO: D30–D49
Chosen by: Black
Main variations
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 f5
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 f5 5. g4
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. f3
All 72 variations
| ECO | Variation | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| D31 | Accelerated Move Order | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 |
| D31 | Marshall Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 |
| D43 | Main line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 |
| D31 | Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 f5 |
| D31 | Noteboom Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 |
| D31 | Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation, Portisch Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 f5 5. g4 |
| D31 | Gunderam Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. f3 |
| D45 | Main Line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 |
| D31 | Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. g3 |
| D31 | Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Bg5 |
| D30 | Quiet Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nbd2 |
| D45 | Accelerated Meran Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 a6 |
| D45 | Normal Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 |
| D31 | Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Variation, Belyavsky Line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Bg5 f6 |
| D30 | Quiet Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 |
| D43 | Anti-Moscow Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 |
| D44 | Botvinnik Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 |
| D46 | Main Line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 |
| D31 | Marshall Gambit, Forgotten Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 |
| D31 | Marshall Gambit, Main Line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 |
| D45 | Rubinstein System | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Ne5 |
| D45 | Stoltz Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 |
| D46 | Bogoljubow Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Be7 |
| D46 | Chigorin Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 |
| D43 | Moscow Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 |
| D46 | Romih Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4 |
| D45 | Stonewall Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Ne4 6. Bd3 f5 |
| D46 | Chigorin Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Qc2 |
| D43 | Hastings Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Qb3 |
| D47 | Semi-Meran Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 |
| D45 | Stoltz Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 |
| D45 | Stoltz Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 e6 5. Nc3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 |
| D45 | Stoltz Variation, Center Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4 |
| D45 | Stoltz Variation, Shabalov Attack | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. g4 |
| D47 | Meran Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 |
| D45 | Normal Variation | 1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. b3 Bd6 6. Bb2 O-O 7. d4 Nbd7 |
| D45 | Stoltz Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 Bb7 |
| D46 | Chigorin Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Bd3 |
| D46 | Chigorin Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 Bb7 8. Bd3 |
| D45 | Normal Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Be2 |
| D45 | Stoltz Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 e6 5. Nc3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 |
| D48 | Meran Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 |
| D47 | Meran Variation, Lundin Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 b4 |
| D47 | Meran Variation, Wade Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 |
| D31 | Noteboom Variation, Abrahams Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 b5 8. axb5 cxb5 |
| D44 | Botvinnik Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 |
| D46 | Chigorin Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 Re8 9. Bd3 |
| D46 | Chigorin Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 Qe7 9. Bd3 |
| D48 | Meran Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 c5 9. a4 |
| D44 | Botvinnik Variation, Alatortsev System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 Nd5 |
| D31 | Marshall Gambit, Tolush Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qxd4 7. Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8. Be2 c5 9. Bxc5 Qxg2 |
| D48 | Meran Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 |
| D48 | Meran Variation, Pirc Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 b4 |
| D44 | Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. exf6 gxh4 10. Ne5 |
| D46 | Chigorin Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bd6 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qc2 |
| D46 | Main Line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 Bb7 8. Bd3 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Bb2 |
| D48 | Meran Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 c5 9. O-O Bb7 10. Qe2 |
| D48 | Meran Variation, Old Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 |
| D48 | Meran Variation, Reynolds' Variation | 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 |
| D45 | Stoltz Variation, Center Variation, Mikhalchishin Line | 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 |
| D48 | Meran Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 c5 9. O-O Bb7 10. Qe2 Nbd7 |
| D44 | Botvinnik Variation, Lilienthal Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. g3 |
| D44 | Botvinnik Variation, Szabo Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. Qf3 |
| D46 | Chigorin Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O Bb7 10. a3 O-O 11. Qc2 |
| D49 | Meran Variation, Blumenfeld Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 |
| D49 | Meran Variation, Rabinovich Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Ng4 |
| D49 | Meran Variation, Sozin Variation | 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 |
| D47 | Meran Variation, Wade Variation, Larsen Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. e4 b4 10. Na4 c5 11. e5 Nd5 |
| D49 | Meran Variation, Sozin Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 axb5 13. O-O |
| D49 | Meran Variation, Stahlberg Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 axb5 13. Qf3 |
| D47 | Meran Variation, Wade Variation, Kaidanov Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. e4 b4 10. Na4 c5 11. e5 Nd5 12. O-O cxd4 13. Nxd4 |
| D49 | Meran Variation, Rellstab Attack | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 axb5 13. O-O Qd5 14. Qe2 Ba6 15. Bg5 |
How to learn an opening
Learn the ideas before the moves: where the pieces go, which pawn breaks matter and what the typical middlegame plans are. Then play it, and after each game look up the point where you or your opponent left the known moves. MentoChess shows that point automatically for every game you import.
Opening lessons: Three golden opening rules · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Italian Game: plans, not just moves · Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined · Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 · From moves to structures