Caissa Codex
D45

Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation 7…O-O 8. Be2

Chess diagram: Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation after 8. Be2

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Statistics from Lichess

16,984 games: White 49.9% / Draw 7.1% / Black 43.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
5,5485,548
3,1223,122
2,5532,553
1,6971,697
1,2341,234
880880
719719
312312

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.10 The position is about equal

Best play: 8... b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. a4 Qe7 11. Bd3 c5 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Nxd5

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

Overview

Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation (ECO D45, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move Order, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Be2 (8 moves).

In 16,984 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.9%, Black 43.0% and 7.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 8…Re8, in 33% of those games.

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How to answer 8. Be2

8…b6 scores best for Black: 48.5%, with Black winning 44.2% and White 47.2% of 3,122 games. The most played, 8…Re8, scores 45.3% in 5,548 games, and 8…e5 scores lowest: 43.0%. Stockfish's first choice is also 8…b6.

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 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. b3 Bd6 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Be2, the position after Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move Order also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation (D45)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/semi-slav-defense-normal-variation-3

https://chesscodex.org/openings/semi-slav-defense-normal-variation-3