Tree path 7 levels Queen's Pawn Game › Queen's Gambit › Slav Defense › Modern Line › Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation › Slav Defense: Two Knights Attack › Slav Defense: Alapin Variation
- Chess Codex
- Queen's Pawn Game D00
- Queen's Gambit D06
- Slav Defense D10
- Modern Line D11
- Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation D15
- Slav Defense: Two Knights Attack D15
- Slav Defense: Alapin Variation D16 you are here
Slav Defense: Alapin Variation
Overview
Slav Defense: Alapin Variation is a named branch in the Closed & Semi-Closed Games group of chess theory, classified under ECO D16.
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 9 plies and takes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 to reach the canonical position.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Slav Defense: Two Knights Attack, part of the broader Queen's Pawn Game system.
4 named variations grow from this line, including Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Slav Defense: Smyslov Variation, Slav Defense: Soultanbeieff Variation, and others.
Together the deeper variations number 16 across the full subtree.
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
- D16
- Group
- Closed & Semi-Closed Games (D)
- Plies
- 9
- 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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Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached
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Variations (4)
Show all 16 sub-variations (full subtree)
- D17 Slav Defense: Czech Variation 10-ply
- D16 Slav Defense: Smyslov Variation 10-ply
- D16 Slav Defense: Soultanbeieff Variation 10-ply
- D16 Slav Defense: Steiner Variation 10-ply
- D17 Bled Attack 11-ply
- D18 Classical System 11-ply
- D17 Krause Attack 11-ply
- D17 Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation 16-ply
- D19 Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Dutch Variation 15-ply
- D17 Fazekas Gambit 13-ply
- D18 Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Lasker Variation 12-ply
- D17 Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation 12-ply
- D17 Morozevich Variation 22-ply
- D19 Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System, Main Line 17-ply
- D17 Sharp Line 15-ply
- D19 Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Dutch Variation, Sämisch Variation 19-ply