Tree path 7 levels Queen's Pawn Game › Queen's Gambit › Slav Defense › Slav Defense › Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line › Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation › Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line
- Chess Codex
- Queen's Pawn Game D00
- Queen's Gambit D06
- Slav Defense D10
- Slav Defense D10
- Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line D45
- Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation D45
- Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line D46 you are here
Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line
Overview
Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line is a named branch in the Closed & Semi-Closed Games group of chess theory, classified under ECO D46.
The Closed & Semi-Closed Games group covers closed and semi-closed games — 1.d4 systems characterised by long strategic manoeuvring rather than early tactics.
Play reaches this position via 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3, after 11 plies of opening development.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation, part of the broader Queen's Pawn Game system.
4 named variations grow from this line, including Semi-Slav Defense: Bogoljubow Variation, Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense, Semi-Slav Defense: Romih Variation, and others.
In total, the branch covers 16 sub-variations across all depths.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- D46
- Group
- Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
- Plies
- 11
- Direct variations
- 4
- Total in subtree
- 16
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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| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
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Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached
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Variations (4)
Show all 16 sub-variations (full subtree)
- D46 Semi-Slav Defense: Bogoljubow Variation 12-ply
- D46 Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense 12-ply
- D46 Semi-Slav Defense: Romih Variation 12-ply
- D47 Semi-Slav Defense: Semi-Meran Variation 13-ply
- D46 Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense 13-ply
- D47 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation 14-ply
- D46 Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense 21-ply
- D48 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation 16-ply
- D47 Wade Variation 16-ply
- D48 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation 18-ply
- D47 Larsen Variation 22-ply
- D48 Old Variation 19-ply
- D47 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Wade Variation, Kaidanov Gambit 25-ply
- D49 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Blumenfeld Variation 21-ply
- D49 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Rabinovich Variation 22-ply
- D49 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Stahlberg Variation 25-ply