Semi-Slav Defense
Black builds a triangle of pawns on c6, d5 and e6. It looks quiet, but it hides some of the sharpest lines in chess.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 · ECO D30–D49 · 49 named lines
The idea
The Semi-Slav comes from the Slav and the Queen's Gambit Declined together: Black plays ...c6, ...d5, ...e6 and ...Nf6 against White's d4, c4, Nc3 and Nf3. The pawn on e6 shuts in the c8 bishop, but the center is very firm, and Black can take on c4 at a good moment and expand with ...b5.
After 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5, the Meran, Black gains space on the queenside and frees the bishop with ...Bb7 and ...c5. After 5.Bg5, White can enter the Botvinnik with e4, where both sides attack and pieces fly, or the Moscow and Anti-Moscow lines after ...h6.
It has two sides. Some lines are slow and strategic; others are among the most complicated in opening theory, with sacrifices on both sides. It has been a regular guest in world championship matches.
Ambitious players with Black who want a solid base and a choice between calm and wild play. The sharp lines need real preparation.
In the sharp lines, a single wrong move order can lose quickly. If you are not sure of the theory, choose the quieter Meran setups first.
The main line, move by move
- 1.d4 · White takes the center with the queen's pawn, which the queen already guards, and opens a diagonal for the bishop on c1.
- 1...d5 · Black meets the pawn head on and stops White from adding e4 to the center for now.
- 2.c4 · White offers the c-pawn to pull Black's pawn away from d5. This is the Queen's Gambit; if Black takes, White can usually win the pawn back later.
- 2...e6 · Black holds d5 with a pawn and opens the way for the bishop on f8. The price is that the bishop on c8 is now shut in behind the pawn on e6.
- 3.Nc3 · White develops the knight and adds a second attacker on d5. It also supports the push e4.
- 3...c6 · Black adds a pawn guard to d5 and builds a pawn triangle on c6, d5 and e6. Holding back ...Nf6 avoids a pin by Bg5 and lets Black take on c4 in some lines, but it allows the sharp pawn offer 4.e4.
Next moves in book
- 5.Bg5
- 5.e3 · Main Line
Related openings
- Slav Defense D10–D19 · 43 named lines
- Queen's Gambit Declined D02–D69 · 138 named lines
- Queen's Gambit Accepted D20–D29 · 48 named lines
- Queen's Gambit D06 · 1 named line
Opening names and lines: Lichess chess-openings (CC0) · Not affiliated with Lichess.