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Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran (D48)
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 c6 5 e3 Nbd7 6 Bd3 dxc4
7 Bxc4 b5 8 Bd3 a6

Number of games in database: 1174
Years covered: 1906 to 2023
Overall record:
   White wins 35.9%
   Black wins 31.3%
   Draws 32.8%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Svetozar Gligoric  18 games
Zdenko Kozul  14 games
Valery A Chekhov  11 games
Arturo Pomar Salamanca  12 games
Dusko Pavasovic  11 games
Vasja Pirc  10 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Karpov vs Kramnik, 1994
Karpov vs Tal, 1980
Alekhine vs Bogoljubov, 1934
B Molinari vs L Roux Cabral, 1943
Gruenfeld vs Rubinstein, 1924
H Geiger vs W Wurm, 1926
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 page 1 of 47; games 1-25 of 1,174  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Schlechter vs J Perlis 1-0391906OstendD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
2. Capablanca vs O Bernstein ½-½301914Moscow gameD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
3. Vidmar vs W John  1-056191419th DSB Congress, MannheimD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
4. E Straat vs Euwe 0-1301923AmsterdamD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
5. Spielmann vs Gruenfeld 0-1441924MeranoD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
6. Gruenfeld vs Rubinstein 0-1361924MeranoD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
7. Ed. Lasker vs Tartakower 1-0361924New YorkD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
8. Colle vs Euwe 1-0601924MatchD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
9. A J Mackenzie vs Euwe 0-1371924Weston-super-MareD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
10. R Grau vs Euwe 1-0471924Paris Unofficial OlympiadD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
11. D Reca vs S Rosselli del Turco  0-1661924Paris Unofficial OlympiadD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
12. G Kroone vs E Straat  ½-½361924NED-chD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
13. N Banks vs N Whitaker  ½-½57192425th Western ChampionshipD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
14. I Rabinovich vs S Rosselli del Turco 1-0321925Baden-BadenD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
15. Alekhine vs J W te Kolste 1-0251925Baden-BadenD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
16. Alekhine vs W Grigorieff 1-0431925Blindfold simul, 10bD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
17. B Hoenlinger vs J Lokvenc  ½-½311926DSV KongressD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
18. H Geiger vs W Wurm 0-1391926Wiener Schachzeitung corrD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
19. Vidmar vs R P Michell  1-0391926Hastings 1925/26D48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
20. Vidmar vs J A Seitz  1-0381926Hastings 1925/26D48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
21. G Wheatcroft vs M E Goldstein  0-1401926British ChampionshipD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
22. Botvinnik vs I Rabinovich ½-½501926North West Region ChampionshipD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
23. E Tholfsen vs Kashdan 0-1361927Manhattan Jr. MastersD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
24. F Duz-Khotimirsky vs Y Vilner  0-1351927KislovodskD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
25. A Vajda vs L Asztalos  1-0431927London OlympiadD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
 page 1 of 47; games 1-25 of 1,174  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-18-04  ruylopez900: I'd have to agree with Calchexas, the Gruenfeld v. Rubenstein game took place in Merano, Meran is porbably is the english version of Merano.
Apr-18-04  acirce: Yes. Meran/Merano was btw also the place where WC match Karpov-Korchnoi was played in 1981.
Apr-19-04  Vischer: i think I've solved the Sicilian thingy!<Vischer: why is the sicilian called the sicilian? Was it first introduced in Sicily, or by Sicilian players? > here's some kibitzing from the Anthony Greco page:

<Mar-06-03
Spitecheck: Any relation to the 1620's dude?

Mar-06-03
aulero: I doubt, Greco (that means Greek) is a common name in the South of Italy. Gioacchino Greco - the "dude" - was born in Calabria (the most southern Italian land, just above the Sicily that - as all of you know - is an island)

Mar-06-03
AgentRgent: Ok, is he any relation to Richard Greco then?

>
aulero said <Gioacchino Greco - the "dude" - was born in Calabria (the most southern Italian land, just above the <Sicily> that - as all of you know - is an island) > and Greco was one of the first to play the sicilian.
Thanks aulero.

May-14-04  Dillinger: it's called the sicilian defense because it's an offer you can't refuse...
May-14-04  Lawrence: <dilli>, lol, wonderful!
May-14-04  Dudley: <Dillinger> is correct, the opening was starting to be played more frequently in the 20s and 30s, the golden age of organized crime in America. Since the Siciian is a fighting, aggressive defense, someone tagged it with that handle.
May-14-04  square dance: the move 1...c5 was a common response to 1.e4 in sicily at some early point in chess history. i have read that somewhere for sure, but i cannot remember where. it sure seems to fit in with the names of many openings/defenses i.e. the english, the spanish, the french defense, the italian game, the slav, the polish (attack or defense), etc.
Sep-01-04  joeyam30: what is meran?...
Jun-23-05  dragon40: This is an open question and Id really like it answered if possible; Being a D pawn player, I face this opening time to time...WHY is it that in most cases, the (Whites players) King's Bishop goes back to D3 after being chased by ...b5?! In some cases, Bb3 looks to be just as strong to me, but most manuals just go through this to the heart of the opening without explaining why Bd3 is superior to BBb3. I have posted before and most people know how I like to understand the moves and WHY they are playedm, and not just blindly follow conventioonal moves without knowing the reason? Any imnformation that I could get would be greatly appreciated and valued:)

Even Matthew Sadler's excellent <The Semi-Slav> does not explain why the move Bd3 is preferred,which is about the only thing he does not painstakingly explained and analyzed in this excellent book!

Jun-23-05  ksadler: I think the reason is that the a2-f7 diagonal is fairly congested, so even if Bb3 is played, .. Bc2 will come later on either at White's leisure of by Black playing .. a5 right away. That square (c2) is normally reserved for the Queen, or left open so that a rook can control the c-file.
Jun-23-05  dragon40: <kasdler> Thanks, I kind of thought that was the reason, but it is nice to know for sure...because I have retreated the Bishop back to B3 before..never got allot out of it but time off the other person's clock and a little thought from my opponent.

Oh yes, I love your website also, by the way..I visit there often :) Its good work ! The Meran/Semi-slav is not a bad opening for black, although lately is is not played as much as it was in the 80's and 90's, but if White isnt familiar with some of its pitfalls, it makes a nice fast victory for the black pieces!

Jun-24-05  ksadler: <Oh yes, I love your website also, by the way..I visit there often :) Its good work !> Thanks a lot!
Jul-24-05  PinkPanther: Meran is short for Meraner, which I believe is a city or something, not a person. And <dragon40> I believe Bd3 is preferred because it keeps the bishop on a slightly more active diagonal and bolsters the e4 pawn push by white.
Nov-13-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Bishoprick: Meran Defense is named after the city of Merano, I believe in Italy, site of a strong tournament, in which it first occurred in the 1920's.
Aug-04-06  gambitfan: Don't we have the wrong move order with this :

1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 c6 5 e3 Nbd7

after : 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 then 3 cd ed 4 Nc3 Nf6 5 Bg5 Be7... and this is very favourable for White...

The right move order seems for me to be :

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 d5 4 Nc3 c6 5 e3 Nbd7

Oct-01-06  Scarecrow: I wonder why 10. - Ng4 is so rarely played after 9. e4 c5 10. e5 starting from the position at the top of the page. According to the Opening Explorer, which I know I shouldn't trust blindly, the move scores well and was last beaten in 1950. It's not like there's a clear refutation (or at least not in this database).
Jan-12-07  Elixir of Life: I have a question for everyone: is the Meran really that effective against black? Why will GMs continue playing the Semi-slav if there is the Meran?
Jan-12-07  Zebra: As far as I know it is more a variation played <by> black than against him. If white doesn't like it, there are "anti-Meran" variations which sidestep it.
Jan-12-07  Elixir of Life: I still don't understand why it is a defence played by black. How can black play the semi-slav while side-stepping the Meran?
Jan-12-07  Zebra: <dragon40: Even Matthew Sadler's excellent <The Semi-Slav> does not explain why the move Bd3 is preferred,which is about the only thing he does not painstakingly explained and analyzed in this excellent book!>

Right, that chapter is a bit thin, he doesn't say much about Be2 either. To me, both these "alternative" retreats make ...b4 more tempting for black, as the knight can't go to e4. But I am only a beginner - any other offers?

Jan-12-07  Zebra: <Elixir> If black plays the Semi-Slav, white has a choice between (a) e3, or (b) anything else, usually Bg5. The Meran is the most popular continuation after e3, though both sides still have opportunities to avoid it.
Jan-12-07  Elixir of Life: Thanks, Zebra!
Mar-11-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  WTHarvey: Here are some winning combinations from Meran miniatures: http://www.wtharvey.com/d48.html
Oct-17-09  deputy1: I am playing a game as black with Mark 5 on the ChessWorld.net website. Here are the moves
1 d4 d5 Nf3 e6 3 e3 c6 4 c4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nbd7 6 Bd3 dxc4 7 Bxc4 b5: Any suggestions would be welcome. Thank you
Jan-16-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Opening of the Day

Semi-Slav, Meran
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.♘c3 ♘f6 4.♘f3 c6 5.e3 ♘bd7 6.♗d3 dxc4 7.♗xc4 b5 8.♗d3 a6


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