- ECO code
- D10
- Moves
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6
- Family
- Slav Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 4,073
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1863–2026
Slav Defense is the opening filed under ECO code D10, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6. It belongs to the Slav Defense family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 4,073 games on this line — the 37th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1863 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2010s, with 1,106 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 34% of those games, 43% end in a draw, and Black wins 23%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 5 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 8 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3.Nf3, played in 2,574 games, followed by 3.Nc3 (1,130) and 3.cxd5 (242). 3.Nf3 leads into Slav Defense: Modern Line. After 3.Nf3 White scores 35% and Black 23%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (272 games); on the Black side, Shirov,A (467).
9 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Slav Defense: Modern Line; Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation; Slav Defense (D10).
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 34% (1,379)
- Draws 43% (1,772)
- Black 23% (922)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nf3 | 2,574 | 35/42/23 | Slav Defense: Modern Line |
| 3.Nc3 | 1,130 | 34/45/21 | Slav Defense (D10) |
| 3.cxd5 | 242 | 24/47/29 | — |
| 3.e3 | 126 | 37/42/21 | — |
| 3.Bf4 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Modern Line · 3.Nf3 · 2,574 games
- Three Knights Variation · 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 · 1,399 games
- Slav Defense (D10) · 3.Nc3 · 1,130 games
- Quiet Variation · 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 · 737 games
- Semi-Slav Defense · 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 · 671 games
- Two Knights Attack · 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 · 522 games
- Alapin Variation · 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 · 466 games
- Czech Variation · 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 · 368 games
- Quiet Variation, Schallopp Defense · 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 · 321 games
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
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 272
- Aronian,L 125
- Carlsen,M 112
As Black
- Shirov,A 467
- Smyslov, Vassily 120
- Karjakin,Sergey 112
Games per decade
- 1860s 1
- 1880s 3
- 1890s 3
- 1900s 14
- 1910s 15
- 1920s 64
- 1930s 121
- 1940s 42
- 1950s 86
- 1960s 65
- 1970s 40
- 1980s 92
- 1990s 459
- 2000s 1,049
- 2010s 1,106
- 2020s 913
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Ohanyan,Emin | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Sargsyan,Anna M. | 1-0 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 15th Jan 2026 |
| Lazavik,Denis | Carlsen,M | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 2nd Jul 2026 |
| Grandelius,N | So,W | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 14th Apr 2026 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Deac,Bogdan-Daniel | So,W | 0-1 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Slav Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code D10, reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6. It belongs to the Slav Defense family.
Is the Slav Defense good for White or for Black?
In 4,073 master games on this line White wins 34%, 43% are drawn and Black wins 23%. 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 Slav Defense?
3.Nf3 — played in 2,574 of the master games on this line, which leads into Slav Defense: Modern Line.
Which grandmasters play the Slav Defense?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (272), Aronian,L (125), Carlsen,M (112); on the Black side Shirov,A (467), Smyslov, Vassily (120), Karjakin,Sergey (112).
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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