Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Alatortsev System
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Statistics from Lichess
9,836 games: White 42.8% / Draw 4.2% / Black 53.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 4,6124,612 | ||
| 3,7793,779 | ||
| 682682 | ||
| 497497 | ||
| 211211 | ||
| 2020 | ||
| 1616 | ||
| 1515 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 24, 2026
Engine evaluation
+2.91 White is clearly better
Even so, Black scores 55.1% here in practice: wins plus half the draws in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500.
Best play: 10. Nxf7 Qxh4 11. Nxh8 Bb4 12. Rc1 c5 13. dxc5 Bxc3+ 14. bxc3 Qe4+
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Alatortsev System (ECO D44, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 Nd5 (9 moves).
In 9,836 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 42.8%, Black 53.0% and 4.2% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. Nf3, in 47% of those games.
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How to play against the Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Alatortsev System
10. Nxf7 scores best for White: 50.8%, with White winning 48.6% and Black 47.0% of 3,779 games. The most played, 10. Nf3, scores 44.9% in 4,612 games, and 10. Nxd5 scores lowest: 28.0%. Stockfish's first choice is also 10. Nxf7.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Transpositions
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Alatortsev System (D44)”. Lichess data as of 24 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/semi-slav-defense-botvinnik-variation-alatortsev-system