Caissa Codex
D17

Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, Sharp Line

Chess diagram: Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, Sharp Line after 8. e4

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

11,359 games: White 45.3% / Draw 7.1% / Black 47.7%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
7,7017,701
2,4502,450
960960
123123
122122
11
11
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 27, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.38 White is slightly better

Best play: 8... Bxe4 9. fxe4 Nxe4 10. Bd2 Qxd4 11. Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12. Qe2 Bxd2+ 13. Kxd2

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

Overview

Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, Sharp Line (ECO D17, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6 7. f3 Bb4 8. e4 (8 moves).

In 11,359 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.3%, Black 47.7% and 7.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 8…Bxe4, in 68% of those games.

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How to play against the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, Sharp Line

The most played answer, 8…Bxe4, also scores best for Black: 55.4%, with Black winning 51.4% and White 40.6% of 7,701 games. Of the main answers, 8…Bg6 scores lowest: 42.1%. Stockfish's first choice is also 8…Bxe4.

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

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, Sharp Line (D17)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/slav-defense-czech-variation-wiesbaden-variation-sharp-line

https://chesscodex.org/openings/slav-defense-czech-variation-wiesbaden-variation-sharp-line