D10
Slav Defense
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3
In the Slav Defense, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.
The Slav Defense is a chess opening classified under ECO code D10. It is reached after the moves 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3: 5 moves in, with Black to play.
Learn its typical plans and pawn structures rather than memorizing moves — that’s what holds up over the board.
Dozens of named variations branch from this position; the list at the end of the page goes one move deeper into each.
Play the Slav Defense? See where you go wrong.
Deepline reviews your real games, finds the exact moves that cost you, and trains the fixes.
Analyze my games free →Variations of the Slav Defense
- Diemer Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e4
- Exchange Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5
- Exchange Variation, Boor Attack1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. f3
- Slav Gambit, Alekhine Attack1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. e4
- Winawer Countergambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 e5
- Winawer Countergambit, Anti-Winawer Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e4
- Bonet Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg5
- Breyer Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nbd2
- Modern Line1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3
- Quiet Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3
- Quiet Variation, Pin Defense1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4
- Quiet Variation, Amsterdam Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Nc3 e6 7. Ne5 Nfd7
- Quiet Variation, Landau Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 Qc8 7. Bd2 e6 8. Na3
- Quiet Variation, Schallopp Defense1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5
- Exchange Variation, Schallopp Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Nc3
- Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Bf5
- Exchange Variation, Trifunovic Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Bf5 7. e3 e6 8. Qb3 Bb4
- Alekhine Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e3
- Chebanenko Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6
- Chebanenko Variation, Advance System1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. c5
- Geller Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4
- Schlechter Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3
- Suchting Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Qb6
- Three Knights Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3
- Two Knights Attack1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4
- Alapin Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4
- Smyslov Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Na6
- Soultanbeieff Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 e6
- Steiner Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bg4
- Czech Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5
- Czech Variation, Bled Attack1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Nh4
- Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5
- Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation, Morozevich Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 g5
- Czech Variation, Krause Attack1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5
- Czech Variation, Krause Attack, Fazekas Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Na6 7. e4
- Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6
- Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, Sharp Line1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6 7. f3 Bb4 8. e4
- Czech Variation, Classical System1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3
- Czech Variation, Lasker Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 Na6
- Czech Variation, Classical System, Main Line1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2
Related openings
Queen's Gambit Declined: SlavSlav DefenseSlav DefenseSlav Defense: Diemer GambitSlav Defense: Exchange VariationSlav Defense: Exchange Variation, Boor AttackSlav Defense: Slav Gambit, Alekhine AttackSlav Defense: Winawer CountergambitSlav Defense: Winawer Countergambit, Anti-Winawer GambitSlav Defense: Bonet Gambit