D30-D49

Semi-Slav Defense

69 named lines in this family, ECO D30-D49. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed; sixty lines to a page. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

Meran Variation, Pirc VariationD48

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 b4

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as White's avenue and the d-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
1... d5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e4, and frees the bishop and queen.
2. c4 Challenges the pawn on d5 - the central tension has to resolve. The pawn is genuinely on offer - this is the Queen's Gambit: development and initiative over material.
2... e6 Supports the centre, adding control of d5. Theory calls this the Queen's Gambit Declined.

Meran Variation, Old VariationD48

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5

2... c6 Fights for d5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the Slav Defense.

Meran Variation, Reynolds' VariationD48

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. d5

Meran Variation, Blumenfeld VariationD49

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5

An early pawn trade leaves the b-file as Black's avenue and the d-file as White's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Meran Variation, Rabinovich VariationD49

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Ng4

Meran Variation, Sozin Variation, after 2. c4D49

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5

The c-file is fully open.

Meran Variation, Sozin Variation, after 2. Nf3D49

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 axb5 13. O-O

Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5. It also props up the d4 pawn. Theory calls this the Zukertort Variation.
2... Nf6 Develops the knight to f6, eyeing d5 and e4. It also props up the d5 pawn. Theory calls this the Symmetrical Variation.

Meran Variation, Stahlberg VariationD49

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 axb5 13. Qf3

Meran Variation, Rellstab AttackD49

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5 cxd4 11. Nxb5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 axb5 13. O-O Qd5 14. Qe2 Ba6 15. Bg5

Lines 61–69 of 69 — page 2 of 2.

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