Slav Defense: Süchting Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
40,339 games: White 47.3% / Draw 7.1% / Black 45.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 10,99111K | ||
| 8,7628,762 | ||
| 6,5236,523 | ||
| 4,0384,038 | ||
| 3,2163,216 | ||
| 2,2212,221 | ||
| 1,4691,469 | ||
| 653653 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 1, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.68 White is slightly better
Best play: 5. Qc2 Na6 6. c5 Qc7 7. Bg5 b6 8. a3 bxc5 9. e4 e6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Slav Defense: Süchting Variation (ECO D15, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Qb6 (4 moves).
In 40,339 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.3%, Black 45.6% and 7.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. e3, in 27% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Slav Defense: Süchting Variation
5. c5 scores best for White: 54.7%, with White winning 51.0% and Black 41.7% of 8,762 games. The most played, 5. e3, scores 50.0% in 11K games, and 5. cxd5 scores lowest: 49.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 5. Qc2.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Slav Defense: Süchting Variation (D15)”. Lichess data as of 1 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/slav-defense-suchting-variation