Semi-Slav Defense (D30–D49)
A complex defense combining ideas from the Slav and Queen's Gambit Declined.
The variations below diverge from the first move, so each has its own page with the full move order, the position it reaches, and a Stockfish evaluation.
All 63 lines can be practised free in the browser: pick a variation, walk it move by move in Learn mode, then drill it from memory until you can play it without prompting.
All 63 variations of the Semi-Slav Defense Quiet Variation D30 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Quiet Variation D30 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation, Portisch Gambit D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 f5 Gunderam Gambit D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 Marshall Gambit, Forgotten Variation D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 Marshall Gambit, Main Line D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 Marshall Gambit, Tolush Variation D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 Noteboom Variation, Abrahams Variation D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Gambit D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Variation D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Variation, Belyavsky Line D31 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 Anti-Moscow Gambit D43 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Moscow Variation D43 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Botvinnik Variation D44 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Botvinnik Variation D44 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Botvinnik Variation, Alatortsev System D44 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation D44 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Botvinnik Variation, Lilienthal Variation D44 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Botvinnik Variation, Szabo Variation D44 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 Accelerated Meran Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Main Line D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Normal Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Normal Variation D45 1. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 Normal Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 Rubinstein System D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 Stoltz Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Stoltz Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Stoltz Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Stoltz Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 e6 Stoltz Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 e6 Stoltz Variation, Center Variation D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Stoltz Variation, Center Variation, Mikhalchishin Line D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Stoltz Variation, Shabalov Attack D45 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Stonewall Defense D45 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 Bogoljubow Variation D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Chigorin Defense D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Chigorin Defense D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Chigorin Defense D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Chigorin Defense D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Chigorin Defense D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Chigorin Defense D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Chigorin Defense D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 Nf6 Chigorin Defense D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Main Line D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Main Line D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Romih Variation D46 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation D47 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation, Lundin Variation D47 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Meran Variation, Wade Variation D47 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation, Wade Variation, Kaidanov Gambit D47 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation, Wade Variation, Larsen Variation D47 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Semi-Meran Variation D47 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation D48 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation D48 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation, Old Variation D48 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation, Pirc Variation D48 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 Meran Variation, Reynolds' Variation D48 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Meran Variation, Blumenfeld Variation D49 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation, Rabinovich Variation D49 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Meran Variation, Rellstab Attack D49 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 Meran Variation, Sozin Variation D49 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 Meran Variation, Sozin Variation D49 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 Meran Variation, Stahlberg Variation D49 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 Frequently asked questions
What is the ECO code for the Semi-Slav Defense?
The Semi-Slav Defense is catalogued under ECO codes D30–D49. Individual variations list their own specific code on their page.
How can I practise the Semi-Slav Defense for free?
Open any variation on Chess Ramp and use Learn mode to walk the line one move at a time, then Drill mode to replay it from memory. Practice runs in your browser with no account required.
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