Tree path 6 levels Queen's Pawn Game › Queen's Gambit › Slav Defense › Modern Line › Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation › Semi-Slav Defense
- Chess Codex
- Queen's Pawn Game D00
- Queen's Gambit D06
- Slav Defense D10
- Modern Line D11
- Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation D15
- Semi-Slav Defense D43 you are here
Semi-Slav Defense
Overview
Semi-Slav Defense is a specific line in the Closed & Semi-Closed Games family (ECO D43), arising from a recognised theoretical position.
The Closed & Semi-Closed Games group covers closed and semi-closed games — 1.d4 systems characterised by long strategic manoeuvring rather than early tactics.
It begins with 8 plies and takes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 to reach the canonical position.
The line refines Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation, which traces back to the root opening Queen's Pawn Game.
The line has 9 documented children — Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Slav Defense Accepted, Anti-Moscow Gambit, and others being widely played.
Together the deeper variations number 20 across the full subtree.
Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.
- ECO code
- D43
- Group
- Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
- Plies
- 8
- Direct variations
- 9
- Total in subtree
- 20
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. A more detailed, human-written description is on the way — and you can speed it up by suggesting one yourself.
Statistics from Lichess
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Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached
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Variations (9)
Show all 20 sub-variations (full subtree)
- D52 Queen's Gambit Declined 11-ply
- D44 Semi-Slav Defense Accepted 10-ply
- D43 Anti-Moscow Gambit 11-ply
- D47 Meran Variation, Lundin Variation 16-ply
- D48 Meran Variation, Reynolds' Variation 19-ply
- D49 Meran Variation, Sozin Variation 22-ply
- D43 Moscow Variation 12-ply
- D45 Stoltz Variation, Center Variation 13-ply
- D45 Stoltz Variation, Shabalov Attack 13-ply
- D52 Cambridge Springs Defense 12-ply
- D44 Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation 11-ply
- D43 Semi-Slav Defense: Hastings Variation 13-ply
- D45 Mikhalchishin Line 19-ply
- D52 Queen's Gambit Declined: Cambridge Springs Defense 13-ply
- D52 Bogoljubow Variation 15-ply
- D52 Rubinstein Variation 14-ply
- D44 Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation 17-ply
- D44 Ekstrom Variation 19-ply
- D52 Yugoslav Variation 14-ply
- D44 Lilienthal Variation 21-ply