Caissa Codex
D48

Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Old Variation

Chess diagram: Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Old Variation after 10. e5

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

Play any move on the board to explore from there, or step through the line with ‹ › and the arrow keys.

Statistics from Lichess

10,964 games: White 48.6% / Draw 6.2% / Black 45.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
8,4748,474
1,9501,950
185185
151151
115115
8686
22
11

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

Engine evaluation

+0.17 The position is about equal

Best play: 10... cxd4 11. Nxb5 Bb4+ 12. Bd2 Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 axb5 14. exf6 Qxf6 15. Bxb5

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

Overview

Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Old Variation (ECO D48, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, reached after 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 (10 moves).

In 10,964 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.6%, Black 45.2% and 6.2% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 10…cxd4, in 77% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Blumenfeld Variation. In all, 3 named lines continue from it.

Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.

Write a description or report a mistake
What would you like to send?

Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links). Submissions are reviewed before publishing.

How to play against the Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Old Variation

The most played answer, 10…cxd4, also scores best for Black: 50.4%, with Black winning 47.1% and White 46.3% of 8,474 games. Of the main answers, 10…Nd5 scores lowest: 40.5%. Stockfish's first choice is also 10…cxd4.

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

Variations (1)

All 3 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Old Variation (D48)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/semi-slav-defense-meran-variation-old-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/semi-slav-defense-meran-variation-old-variation