Semi-Slav Defense

The bishop is shut in, but not for long

Sharp play

Black puts both pawns up at once: c6 from the Slav and e6 from the Queen's Gambit Declined. The d5 square is held very firmly, and the c8 bishop is shut in for now. The idea is simple: take on c4, play …b5 and let the bishop out through b7. The Semi-Slav suits players who like sharp play and are not afraid of heavy theory.

Interactive Opening Board

9…c5

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Black

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White

9…c5

Speed:

Moves

(18 plies • 9 moves)

9…c5Tabiya

The c5 strike: Black hits d4 and opens the game before White's centre becomes dangerous.

1–9moves
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1.d4 The queen's pawn takes the centre.

1…d5 Black answers in kind and builds a base on d5.

2.c4 The c4 pawn presses on d5: the Queen's Gambit.

2…c6 The c6 pawn backs up d5, as in the Slav. But it does not let the c8 bishop out yet.

3.Nf3 The knight develops to f3 and guards d4 and e5.

3…Nf6 The f6 knight covers d5 and prepares castling.

4.Nc3 The c3 knight aims at d5 and e4 and prepares e2-e4.

4…e6 Now …e6, and this is the Semi-Slav: Black joins the c6 pawn of the Slav to the e6 pawn of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The pawns on c6, d5 and e6 form a solid triangle that White finds hard to crack. The price of this strength is the c8 bishop, shut in for now: later …b5 and …Bb7 will open its road.

5.e3 The e3 pawn is the quiet road. White leaves the sharp Bg5 systems aside and chooses the Meran set-up.

5…Nbd7 The d7 knight supports e5 and c5 and prepares the capture on c4 without damaging the pawn centre.

6.Bd3 The d3 bishop protects the c4 pawn and looks at Black's kingside.

6…dxc4 Black gives up the centre and waits for the white bishop to take the pawn: then …b5 will gain a tempo.

7.Bxc4 The bishop takes the pawn, but it will not stay long on c4.

7…b5 The b5 pawn drives the bishop away and opens the road to b7 for the c8 bishop. Black gains space on the queenside.

8.Bd3 The bishop goes back to d3 and now presses on b5.

8…a6 The a6 pawn reinforces b5 and prepares the …c5 strike. This is the classical Meran.

9.e4 White grabs the centre: the e4 pawn prepares e4-e5 and the pushing back of the knights.

9…c5 The c5 strike: Black hits d4 and opens the game before White's centre becomes dangerous.

Defining move

4…e6 — the second pawn

The move that turns the Slav into the Semi-Slav

The e6 pawn shuts in the c8 bishop, but it makes d5 almost unassailable. It also prepares the …c5 or …e5 strike and lets Black take his time before opening the centre. Black accepts some cramp so that later, after …dxc4 and …b5, he gets play on the queenside.

Tabiya

The classical Meran

White has built a centre on d4 and e4, and the d3 bishop looks at the kingside. Black has given up the centre but has pawns on a6 and b5 on the queenside and has hit d4 with …c5. White wants e4-e5 and to open the game with pieces while the c8 bishop is still shut. Black wants to get the bishop to b7 and exploit the loosened pawns near White's own queenside. The position is sharp, and full of calculation.

The centre

A mobile centre against the queenside

White's pawns on d4 and e4 form a big centre. Black has c5, e6, b5 and a6 on the other wing. Black's pieces stand freely, while White counts on an attack with the central pawns.

Key squarese4d4c5b5

Outposts

e4White's centre
The pawn on e4 is backed by the d3 bishop and the c3 knight and opens the road for e4-e5. If it is traded off, Black equalises.
b5Black's pawn
The pawn on b5, covered by a6 and c6 (before …c5), gains space and stops the white bishop from returning to c4. At the same time it is the target of a2-a4.

Thematic breaks

c5Black
The …c6-c5 strike
Attack the d4 pawn and free c6 for a knight or the queen.
What follows: If White's centre collapses, Black takes over; if not, weaknesses remain on the queenside.
e5White
The e4-e5 advance
Push back the f6 knight and open the diagonal from d3 towards the king.
What follows: The game at once turns sharp: White heads for an attack, and Black answers by capturing on d4.
a4White
The a2-a4 strike
Undermine the b5 pawn, which holds Black's whole queenside together.
What follows: Black must answer precisely: a weak b5 can become a target, and an open a-file would help White's rook.

White’s plan

Build the e3-e4 centre and prepare e4-e5.
Aim the d3 bishop at Black's kingside.
Hit Black's queenside with a2-a4 or by trading the b5 pawn.

Black’s plan

Play …c5 and break up the white centre.
Bring the bishop to b7 and use it on the long diagonal.
Use the queenside space while White is busy attacking.

History

The Meran variation takes its name from the Italian town of Merano: at a tournament there in 1924 the game Grünfeld–Rubinstein became a model. The idea had appeared earlier: Schlechter–Perlis in 1906 already showed the main motifs. Today the Semi-Slav is played at the very top level, including in world championship matches.