Caissa Codex
D44

Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation

Chess diagram: Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation after 10. Ne5

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Statistics from Lichess

11,856 games: White 60.1% / Draw 5.6% / Black 34.3%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
9,8169,816
1,0741,074
328328
207207
202202
5555
4444
4242

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.64 Black is slightly better

Best play: 10... Qxf6 11. a4 a6 12. g3 Ra7 13. Bg2 Rc7 14. O-O Bg7 15. f4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation (ECO D44, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. exf6 gxh4 10. Ne5 (10 moves).

In 11,856 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 60.1%, Black 34.3% and 5.6% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 10…Qxf6, in 83% of those games.

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How to play against the Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation

The most played answer, 10…Qxf6, also scores best for Black: 39.5%, with Black winning 36.4% and White 57.5% of 9,816 games. Of the main answers, 10…Bb7 scores lowest: 18.1%. Stockfish's first choice is also 10…Qxf6.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 6…b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. exf6 gxh4 10. Ne5, the position after Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation (D44)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/semi-slav-defense-botvinnik-variation-ekstrom-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/semi-slav-defense-botvinnik-variation-ekstrom-variation