chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Queen's Gambit Declined Slav (D10)
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6

Number of games in database: 10716
Years covered: 1848 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 36.1%
   Black wins 22.5%
   Draws 41.5%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Aleksej Aleksandrov  57 games
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov  51 games
Zdenko Kozul  49 games
Antoaneta Stefanova  66 games
Valentina Gunina  53 games
Aleksey Dreev  50 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Pillsbury vs Gunsberg, 1895
Alekhine vs Euwe, 1937
Capablanca vs Lasker, 1924
Zukertort vs Steinitz, 1886
Seirawan vs A Beliavsky, 1988
Carlsen vs Y Wang, 2009
<< previous chapter next chapter >>

 page 1 of 429; games 1-25 of 10,716 
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Green Ponds Chess Club vs Launceston Chess Club 1-0351848Launceston CC v Green Ponds CC corr matchD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
2. H Kennedy vs E Lowe 0-1391848Kennedy - Lowe mD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
3. J Medley vs J Finch 1-0281849Ries' Divan TournamentD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
4. F Deacon vs E Lowe  1-0251851Deacon - LoweD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
5. H Kennedy vs J S Mucklow 1-0431851LondonD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
6. Saumchurn vs Cochrane ½-½621855Casual gameD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
7. Cochrane vs Saumchurn 1-0391855Casual gameD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
8. Cochrane vs Saumchurn 1-0721855Casual gameD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
9. F Perrin vs J Thompson  0-1411855New York Chess Club TournamentD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
10. Cochrane vs Saumchurn  0-1341856Casual gameD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
11. Cochrane vs Saumchurn  0-1571856Casual gameD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
12. R Brien vs Zytogorski  1-0421858Starie's Philidorian Chess Rooms PoolD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
13. Roycroft vs NN 1-0141862EnglandD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
14. Blackburne vs K Pitschel 0-1331873ViennaD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
15. F Teed vs W Cohn  1-0291881Manhattan CC Championship 1881D10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
16. Zukertort vs Steinitz 0-1461886Steinitz - Zukertort World Championship MatchD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
17. Zukertort vs Steinitz 1-0471886Steinitz - Zukertort World Championship MatchD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
18. Zukertort vs Steinitz 1-0321886Steinitz - Zukertort World Championship MatchD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
19. Blackburne vs Gunsberg  ½-½411887Blackburne - GunsbergD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
20. Tarrasch / allies vs Paulsen / allies 1-0491888Consultation gameD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
21. J Bauer vs E Schallopp 1-06418896th DSB Congress, BreslauD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
22. Blackburne vs E Schallopp 0-14518896th DSB Congress, BreslauD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
23. W Hahn vs Tarrasch 0-1301890NurembergD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
24. G Marco vs J Bauer  0-14618901st Kolisch Memorial, ViennaD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
25. Englisch vs J Bauer 1-05318901st Kolisch Memorial, ViennaD10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
 page 1 of 429; games 1-25 of 10,716 
  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>
Sep-09-05  chess man: Here's an enjoyable game. W Hahn vs Tarrasch, 1890
Oct-04-05  Averageguy: What does "Slav" mean? Was it a player, or is it named after some country?
Oct-04-05  aw1988: Slav is country
Oct-05-05  Averageguy: <aw1988>What country?
Oct-05-05  MUG: Not a country but a ethnic and linguistic body of peoples. They are defined by speaking Slavic languages and reside chiefly in Eastern Europe, I think!

Probably the early pioneers of this opening where Slavs??

Nov-26-05  joeyam30: 1.d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dc4 5.a4 Bf5
i think that this is white's precise variation to play agaist the slav, if black plays 4...e6 (semi-slav) , white can transpose it to the exhange variation by 5.cd5 ed5 6.Bg5

i play the slav and semi-slav(meran syst) as 1 0f my best defences against 1d4

Apr-23-06  Nikita Smirnov: I really don't like the Slav nor the Semi-Slav because you are locking your Knight stopping him from comming to c6.In the Semi-Slav I don't like it because the bishop is locked on c8 very hard getting a good Bishop.Mostly I preffer Nimzo-Indian Defence as my teacher Master Jan Ullen.
May-20-06  Nikita Smirnov: I may tell the story about what Slav means.It was the old peoples in Russia and many other countrys like Slovakia,Slovenia,Ukraine,Russia and many other countrys.
May-20-06  vizir: Hello
The key idea of playing a6 is to free the Bc8 without allowing pressure on b7 & d5 by Qb3. This is also the reason why we play dxc4 before playing Bf5 (c4 controls b3) in the main line of the slav. Here black's gonna push b5 to question the c pawn. then white has 3 choices : 1. d4 d5 3. c4 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6.e3 b5

- 7. c5 Bg4 & black is preparing e5
- 7. b3 keeping the tension B moves
- 7. cxd5 (or cxb5 transposes) cxd5 and black should equalize

I'm not an expert but I hope this could help you :-)

Jul-01-06  Nikita Smirnov: Well i think that Semi Slav is better.I have drew against Shredder Classic 1.3 with Semi Slav
Oct-13-06  micartouse: Congratulations to the Slav Defense for a truly exciting performance in the World Chess Championship. Alekhine and Euwe would be proud.
Aug-01-07  realbrob: Sometimes I play with a friend of mine who plays (with White): 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 (I choose the Slav) 3.c5

I didn't find 3.c5 in the opening explorer, so I assume it's a bad move, can someone explain me why?

Aug-01-07  xKinGKooLx: I like the Slav Defence, since it frees the c8 bishop to come out to f5 or g4, depending on the circumstances, then you can play e6 later on to solidify your centre somewhat and bring out your other bishop. The QGD (2. ...e6) sort of "locks" that bishop into the defensive (unless White plays cxd4 of course, either immediately or later on.) However, I do play the QGD sometimes, for a change. Both openings have their advantages.
Jul-25-08  Cactus: In responce to the questions about a6, according to my book on the Slav (called, strangely enough, The Slav) explains: <4...a6 allows the bishop to develop outside the pawn chain to g4 or f5, since after ...Bf5, Qb3 attacking b7 can be met by ...b5, advancing the b7-pawn to a safe square, or ...Ra7! an ugly looking but brilliant thought of Julian Hodgson's.> Also, Black threatens to play ...dxc4 and keep the pawn after ...b5, and after Qb3 ...Ra7, the rook may be 'offsides', but actually, the queen is just as much; it's needed elsewhere. By the way, in responce to the whole Nf3-Nc3 debate, Nc3 is inaccurate because black can simply play 1.d4 d5
2.c4 c6
3.Nc3?! dxc4!
4.e3(or e4) b5
5.a4 b4, and the b4 pawn attacks the Knight on c3, whereas normally (with a knight on f3) it wouldn't.
Jan-21-09  unsound: In response to realbrob's question of a year and a half ago, 3.c5 is a very bad move because of 3...e5 (4.dxe5 Bxc5), which gives black central domination (e.g. 4.e3 e4; ouch).
Aug-19-09  whiteshark: Opening of the Day

<Slav, Winawer Countergambit <1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 e5>>


click for larger view

Opening Explorer

following the main line: <4. dxe5 d4 5. Ne4 Qa5+>


click for larger view

Opening Explorer

Feb-16-10  philchess: Does anyone know how to face 3.. Bf5 or 4.. Bf5? I find it very aggressive!
Feb-17-10  nescio: <philchess: Does anyone know how to face 3.. Bf5 or 4.. Bf5? I find it very aggressive!>

As usual the great masters can show you the way, in this case to an advantageous endgame:

Schlechter vs J Perlis, 1911
Schlechter vs Halprin, 1900

Jun-25-10  jbtigerwolf: In response to Cactus, how about 5a3? I'm experimenting with d4,c4,Nc3,e4 (after dxc4)... with bad results, as most of my club opp play b5, for which there is no text! (It's 'bad').

Also, there is some merit in Nc3, attacking d5 and e4 and it's a good position, so...

...is 5a3 the answer? Or something else? I don't like early defensive moves for White, but Nc3,d4,e4 is a great centre.

Mar-13-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Opening of the Day :
Slav, Winawer Countergambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e5
Mar-30-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Opening of the Day

Slav, Winawer Countergambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.♘c3 e5


click for larger view

Jan-13-13  Tomlinsky: An immediate 6...b5 push, rather than the established 6...Ra7, in Qb3 lines of the Chebanenko looks good to go after tests. However, I'm far from convinced that Bologan's suggested follow up plan after 6...a5 in this position is the way to go.


click for larger view

The a4 pawn push should, in my opinion, only be played with a view to nudging the White Lady away from the Queen-side after White plays a3. Other position dependent considerations notwithstanding of course. The b4 push, more often than not with tempo on the c3-knight, is much more flexible. Plans such as Bc8-Ba6-Na6-Nc7-Na5/Na5 exchanging LSB's and activation the Knight, for example, are more readily achieved with less balanced options available to Black and more chances to aim for the win.

Control of the a/b files and if, when and how they are opened, if at all, are critical in these lines as this is where counterplay generally lies for White in the long run. The pawn chain, as demonstrated in A David vs Bologan, 2012 for example, looks pretty but it's extremely easy to inherit a sterile position, complete with 'King's Indian Bishop', with few chances pretty much regardless of the rating of opposition.

You're unlikely to lose of you've done your homework and are awake. On the other hand, you had better have shares in Starbucks if you actually need the win.

Oct-18-13  Kikoman: <Opening of the Day>

Slav, Winawer Countergambit
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 e5


click for larger view

Opening Explorer

Dec-25-13  freeman8201: any one familiar with the old main line? after dxc4
5. a4 Bf5; 6. e3 e6; 7. Bxc4 Bb4; 8. O-O O-O; 9. Nh4 Bg4; 10. f3 Nd5 11. fxg4 Qxh4; 12.e4 Nxc3; 13. bxc3 Bxc3; 14. Ra3 Bb4; 15. Rh3 Qd8
Dec-29-23  VerySeriousExpert: Yury V. Bukayev's new analytical article ( https://chessproblem.my-free-games.... ) shows the new and very interesting way for White: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.a3 Bf5 6.f3 .
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific opening only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC