ecocodes
Volume D · Closed and semi-closed games‹ D47D49 ›
a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8
Reference position · White to move

D48 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation

D48 holds eight named lines, all under the name Semi-Slav Defense. It leaves D47, a position of the same name, with 8.Bd3 a6. White, to move in that position, has 44 legal moves, the most of the 7 Semi-Slav Defense codes. At 16 plies, its reference line is the second-longest of the 7 Semi-Slav Defense codes. Two captures are made along the reference line, the second-highest count of the 7 Semi-Slav Defense codes.

Score sheet
#WhiteBlack
1d4d5
2c4c6
3Nc3Nf6
4e3e6
5Nf3Nbd7
6Bd3dxc4
7Bxc4b5
8Bd3a6

The move that completes D48

The reference line of D49 plays all of these moves and continues beyond them; D48 is the position reached at 8...a6.

  1. 8...a6 The a-pawn advances to a6, covering b5, opening a line for the rook on a8.

Lines filed under D48

All eight share the start 1.d4 d5 2.c4 and then split two ways at Black’s move 2.

NameAfter the shared startPliesAt the end
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation2...c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a616
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation2...e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 c5 9.a417
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation2...c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c518
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Pirc Variation2...e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 b418
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation2...e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 c5 9.O-O Bb7 10.Qe219White castled
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Old Variation2...c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e519
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Reynolds’ Variation2...c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.d519
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation2...e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 c5 9.O-O Bb7 10.Qe2 Nbd720White castled

The road to D48

  1. 1.d4 … 6...dxc4eight earlier stops: A40, D00, D06, D10, D45, D46
  2. 7.Bxc4D47 Semi-Meran Variation
  3. 7...b5D47 Meran Variation
  4. 8...a6D48

The position after 8...a6

White has brought out the knight on c3, knight on f3 and bishop on d3; Black the knight on d7 and knight on f6. White has a half-open c-file; Black a half-open d-file. White could capture with Bxb5, Bxh7, Nxb5.

WhiteBlackMaterial (pawn units)3838Minor pieces developed32Moves spent on pawns36Pawns on d4, e4, d5, e510Squares attacked in the other half86not castlednot castled

Codes that branch off from D48

The reference lines of one other code leave D48 from the position after 10.e5, each with its own moves.

CodeMovesReference line
D4910...cxd4 11.Nxb5Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Blumenfeld Variation

Closest boards in other codes

CodeLineDiffers on
D46Semi-Slav Defense: Main Linesix squares: c4, b5, d5, a6, a7, b7
D42Queen’s Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense, Main Linenine squares: b5, c5, d5, a6, c6, f6, a7, b7 …
D45Semi-Slav Defense: Main Lineten squares: f1, d3, c4, b5, d5, a6, a7, b7 …
D52Queen’s Gambit Declinedten squares: c1, f1, d3, c4, b5, d5, g5, a6 …
B87Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Flank Variation11 squares: c2, b3, d3, e3, f3, d4, e4, c6 …
D43Semi-Slav Defense12 squares: f1, e2, d3, e3, c4, b5, d5, a6 …
A33English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense13 squares: f1, e2, d3, e3, f3, c4, d4, b5 …

Where lines continue from here

Six named lines filed under other codes pass through the position after 8...a6. All of them belong to the codes listed above.

Volume D

  1. 00
  2. 01
  3. 02
  4. 03
  5. 04
  6. 05
  7. 06
  8. 07
  9. 08
  10. 09
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. 93
  95. 94
  96. 95
  97. 96
  98. 97
  99. 98
  100. 99

Other move orders

  • Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation is also reached inside D49 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Rellstab Attack, whose order is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6.
  • Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation is also reached inside D49 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Rellstab Attack, whose order is 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.
  • Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Old Variation is also reached inside D49 Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Rellstab Attack, whose order is 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.

Open this line in the finderAll Semi-Slav Defense codes