Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation, Center Variation, Mikhalchishin Line
Semi-Slav Defense: Stoltz Variation, Center Variation, Mikhalchishin Line is a chess opening with the ECO code D45, part of the Semi-Slav Defense family. It goes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Qxe4 e5 10. dxe5. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... d5. After 19 moves it is Black to move. After the last move White is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
2... c6 – Black plays the pawn to c6
3. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
3... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
4. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
4... e6 – Black plays the pawn to e6
5. e3 – White plays the pawn to e3
5... Nbd7 – Black plays the knight to d7
6. Qc2 – White plays the queen to c2
6... Bd6 – Black plays the bishop to d6
The line goes on for 7 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
About the Semi-Slav Defense
Black combines ...c6 and ...e6 against the Queen's Gambit, making a solid triangle around d5. Some lines, like the Meran and Botvinnik, are very sharp.
Black can take on c4 with ...dxc4 and hold the pawn with ...b5.
The freeing breaks are ...c5 and ...e5.
The c8 bishop often goes to b7 after ...b5 or ...b6.
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