- ECO code
- D43
- Moves
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6
- Family
- Semi-Slav Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 671
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1928–2026
Semi-Slav Defense is the opening filed under ECO code D43, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6. It belongs to the Semi-Slav Defense family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 671 games on this line — the 169th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1928 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2000s, with 184 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 31% of those games, 42% end in a draw, and Black wins 27%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are more common here than usual, by 7 points.
From this position the most popular move is 5.Bg5, played in 321 games, followed by 5.e3 (251) and 5.g3 (44). After 5.Bg5 White scores 29% and Black 27%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Grischuk,A (29 games); on the Black side, Shirov,A (133).
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Results in master games
- White 31% (206)
- Draws 42% (281)
- Black 27% (184)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.Bg5 | 321 | 29/44/27 | — |
| 5.e3 | 251 | 31/42/27 | — |
| 5.g3 | 44 | 37/36/27 | — |
| 5.cxd5 | 22 | 27/32/41 | — |
| 5.Qb3 | 18 | 39/33/28 | — |
| 5.Qd3 | 10 | 40/30/30 | — |
| 5.Qc2 | 5 | 60/40/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 d5 · 11,560 games
- Queen's Gambit · 1.d4 d5 2.c4 · 8,858 games
- Slav Defense · 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 · 4,073 games
- Slav Defense: Modern Line · 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 · 2,574 games
- Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation · 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 · 1,399 games
Played most often by
As White
- Grischuk,A 29
- Aronian,L 26
- Carlsen,M 25
As Black
- Shirov,A 133
- Karjakin,Sergey 29
- Aronian,L 24
Games per decade
- 1920s 4
- 1930s 21
- 1940s 2
- 1950s 7
- 1960s 8
- 1970s 4
- 1980s 19
- 1990s 84
- 2000s 184
- 2010s 164
- 2020s 174
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsen,M | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 0-1 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Final |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Saric,Iv | 1-0 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Croatia |
| Ding Liren | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Final |
| Ding Liren | Artemiev,V | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 8th SCO Int Team Final |
| So,W | Niemann,Hans Moke | 1-0 | 2026 | Tata Steel India Blitz |
| Deac,Bogdan-Daniel | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 5th Mar 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Semi-Slav Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code D43, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6. It belongs to the Semi-Slav Defense family.
Is the Semi-Slav Defense good for White or for Black?
In 671 master games on this line White wins 31%, 42% are drawn and Black wins 27%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Semi-Slav Defense?
5.Bg5 — played in 321 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Semi-Slav Defense?
On the White side Grischuk,A (29), Aronian,L (26), Carlsen,M (25); on the Black side Shirov,A (133), Karjakin,Sergey (29), Aronian,L (24).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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