ECO D46 · Semi-Slav Defense

Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6

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White to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

7. e4+0.56

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense (D46), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6, Stockfish 18 recommends 7. e4 for White. White is slightly better (+0.56).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.567. e4 dxc4 8. Bxc4 b5 9. e5 bxc4 10. exd6 Nb6 11. Bf4 Nbd5
  2. +0.327. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 O-O 9. e4 e5 10. Bg5 Re8 11. Re1 exd4
  3. +0.247. c5 Bc7 8. e4 e5 9. exd5 exd4 10. Qe2+ Kf8 11. Nxd4 Nxc5

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Qc2
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Bd3
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 Bb7 8. Bd3
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 Re8 9. Bd3
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 Qe7 9. Bd3
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bd6 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qc2
  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O Bb7 10. a3 O-O 11. Qc2

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 7. e4 for White, continuing dxc4 8. Bxc4 b5 9. e5 bxc4 10. exd6 Nb6 11. Bf4 Nbd5. White is slightly better (+0.56). The next best moves are 7. O-O (+0.32) and 7. c5 (+0.24).
Is the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.56: white is slightly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense?
D46. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; D is the volume for closed and semi-closed games.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).