ECO D10 · Slav Defense

Slav Defense: Exchange Variation

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5

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

3… cxd5+0.24

The position is roughly equal. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation (D10), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5, Stockfish 18 recommends 3… cxd5 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.24).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.243… cxd5 4. Bf4 Qb6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Rb1 Bd6 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. Rc1
  2. +0.563… Nf6 4. dxc6 Nxc6 5. Nf3 e5 6. dxe5 Qxd1+ 7. Kxd1 Ng4 8. Ke1
  3. +0.983… Qa5+ 4. Bd2 Qxd5 5. Nf3 Nd7 6. Nc3 Qd6 7. e4 e5 8. Qb3

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 3… cxd5 for Black, continuing 4. Bf4 Qb6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Rb1 Bd6 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. Rc1. The position is roughly equal (+0.24). The next best moves are 3… Nf6 (+0.56) and 3… Qa5+ (+0.98).
Is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.24: the position is roughly equal. 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 Slav Defense: Exchange Variation?
D10. 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+).