Caissa Codex
D47

Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Wade Variation

Chess diagram: Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Wade Variation after 8…Bb7

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.

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Statistics from Lichess

98,662 games: White 46.2% / Draw 6.3% / Black 47.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
59,39259K
21,51122K
9,2449,244
2,4362,436
1,6401,640
1,4541,454
885885
832832

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

Engine evaluation

+0.21 The position is about equal

Best play: 9. a3 Bd6 10. O-O O-O 11. Qc2 h6 12. e4 e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5

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

Overview

Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Wade Variation (ECO D47, 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 Bb7 (8 moves).

In 98,662 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.2%, Black 47.5% and 6.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 9. O-O, in 60% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Wade Variation, Larsen Variation. In all, 2 named lines continue from it.

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

9. e4 scores best for White: 54.7%, with White winning 51.7% and Black 42.2% of 22K games. The most played, 9. O-O, scores 48.3% in 59K games, and 9. a3 scores lowest: 47.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 9. a3.

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

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 8. Bd3 Bb7, the position after Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation also goes on to:

All 2 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation, Wade Variation (D47)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/semi-slav-defense-meran-variation-wade-variation

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