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Slav Defense

40 variations · 22M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

Key Finding

Slav Defense gives White a 53.0% expected score — a strong opening choice.

With a minimum advantage of 6.0%, this opening reliably outperforms the baseline 50% expected score.

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Rating
Time
White Expected Score0.0%Range (90% confident): 53.0% – 53.0%Aggregated from 40 variations
0%53.0%100%
Range (90% confident): 53.0% – 53.0%
ContextOverall · n=22M
Outcome Distribution
50.7%4.6%44.7%
Win
Draw
Loss
3...dxc4
Slav Defense
Variations40
Games (Context)22M
Avg Length35 moves
Draw Rate4.6%

What Should I Play?

Player-controlled continuations for White · Overall

#1Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Boor AttackTop Pick
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.f3
Min adv +11.1% · n=93K
55.9%
#2Slav Defense: Alapin Variation
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4
Min adv +10.1% · n=67K
55.4%
#3Slav Defense: Slav Gambit, Alekhine Attack
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 dxc4 4.e4
Min adv +8.7% · n=552K
54.5%
#4Slav Defense: Modern Line
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3
Min adv +8.2% · n=2.6M
54.2%
#5Slav Defense: Alekhine Variation
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e3
Min adv +6.9% · n=130K
53.8%
#6Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3
Min adv +6.6% · n=2.6M
53.4%
#7Slav Defense: Breyer Variation
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nbd2
Min adv +6.2% · n=66K
53.5%
#8Slav Defense: Exchange Variation
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5
Min adv +5.8% · n=3.2M
53.0%
#9Slav Defense: Quiet Variation
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3
Min adv +5.7% · n=472K
53.0%
#10Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Bled Attack
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Nh4
Min adv +5.5% · n=7.3K
53.7%

Continuations show the most common variations from this opening. Higher expected scores indicate better statistical outcomes, but familiarity and playstyle matter too.

What is the Slav Defense expected score for White?

Snapshot

Overall, the Slav Defense family has a 53.0% expected score for White (we're 90% confident it's between 53.0% and 53.0%), aggregated from 40 variations and 22M Lichess games.

White Win% by Rating

Improves with rating: 50% → 53%

0
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2500+

  • 0-999: 50.1% win rate (283,600 games)
  • 1000-1199: 51.3% win rate (789,695 games)
  • 1200-1399: 51.0% win rate (1,642,942 games)
  • 1400-1599: 50.7% win rate (2,866,615 games)
  • 1600-1799: 50.4% win rate (4,328,724 games)
  • 1800-1999: 50.4% win rate (5,134,026 games)
  • 2000-2199: 50.8% win rate (3,842,595 games)
  • 2200-2499: 51.3% win rate (2,390,129 games)
  • 2500+: 52.6% win rate (467,665 games)

White Win% by Time Control

Similar across time controls (~51%)

UltraBullet
Bullet
Blitz
Rapid
Classical

  • UltraBullet: 51.1% win rate (45,739 games)
  • Bullet: 51.1% win rate (8,736,364 games)
  • Blitz: 50.5% win rate (10,432,702 games)
  • Rapid: 50.4% win rate (2,429,199 games)
  • Classical: 50.1% win rate (101,987 games)

Rating vs Time Control Matrix

Click cells to filter · White expected scores

White% by Rating × Time Control

Click any cell to filter. Green = above 50%, Red = below 50%.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.5% expected score (418 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (95,036 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (144,903 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 51.5% expected score (43,018 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 49.1% expected score (225 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 49.8% expected score (1,303 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.6% expected score (276,280 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (388,622 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.4% expected score (121,948 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 52.3% expected score (1,542 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 51.5% expected score (3,506 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (571,575 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (806,871 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (253,605 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 54.5% expected score (7,385 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.8% expected score (10,075 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (963,603 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (1,437,735 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (435,168 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.7% expected score (20,034 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 51.6% expected score (14,101 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (1,465,441 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (2,236,576 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (580,457 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 52.6% expected score (32,149 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 54.0% expected score (9,003 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (1,850,846 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (2,641,967 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (602,581 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.2% expected score (29,629 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 51.9% expected score (4,798 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (1,716,686 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.9% expected score (1,806,663 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (305,426 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 57.2% expected score (9,022 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 56.4% expected score (2,372 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (1,431,556 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.1% expected score (871,972 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 57.2% expected score (82,535 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.3% expected score (1,694 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 67.0% expected score (163 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 56.4% expected score (365,341 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 58.3% expected score (97,393 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 60.4% expected score (4,461 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 61.0% expected score (307 games)

Matrix view reveals how performance varies across rating brackets and time controls. Green indicates favorable, red indicates challenging contexts.

Variations (40)

1
Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Boor Attack93K games
55.9%
2
Slav Defense: Soultanbeieff Variation52K games
55.6%
3
Slav Defense: Alapin Variation67K games
55.4%
Slav Defense: Slav Gambit, Alekhine Attack552K games
54.5%
Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Trifunovic Variation7.8K games
55.2%
Slav Defense: Modern Line2.6M games
54.2%
Slav Defense: Alekhine Variation130K games
53.8%
Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation2.6M games
53.4%
Slav Defense: Breyer Variation66K games
53.5%
Slav Defense: Two Knights Attack168K games
53.3%
Slav Defense8.3M games
53.0%
Slav Defense: Exchange Variation3.2M games
53.0%
Slav Defense: Quiet Variation472K games
53.0%
Slav Defense: Schlechter Variation487K games
52.9%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Bled Attack7.3K games
53.7%
Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line151K games
52.8%
Slav Defense: Chebanenko Variation, Advance System37K games
53.0%
Slav Defense: Winawer Countergambit, Anti-Winawer Gambit2.8K games
53.9%
Slav Defense: Geller Gambit253K games
52.5%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation17K games
52.8%
Slav Defense: Quiet Variation, Pin Defense717K games
52.0%
Slav Defense: Bonet Gambit192K games
52.0%
Slav Defense: Süchting Variation17K games
52.4%
Slav Defense: Chebanenko Variation296K games
51.9%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System39K games
51.8%
Slav Defense: Quiet Variation, Schallopp Defense451K games
51.0%
Slav Defense: Steiner Variation47K games
50.6%
Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Schallopp Variation151K games
50.2%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation42K games
50.4%
Slav Defense: Diemer Gambit267K games
50.0%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation5.2K games
50.6%
Slav Defense: Winawer Countergambit100K games
49.6%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation, Morozevich Variation4.9K games
50.2%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Dutch Variation50K games
49.3%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Krause Attack25K games
49.0%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System, Main Line18K games
48.6%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, Sharp Line4.3K games
48.1%
Slav Defense: Smyslov Variation4.4K games
47.9%
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Lasker Variation1.6K games
45.7%
Slav Defense: Quiet Variation, Amsterdam Variation201 games
47.0%
Analyze Slav Defense PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Slav Defense win rate?

The Slav Defense family has a 50.7% (90% CI: 50.7%-50.7%) win rate for white, aggregated from 40 variations and 22M rated games from Lichess.

How many Slav Defense variations are there?

This analysis covers 40 Slav Defense variations with sufficient game data. Each variation has its own statistics page with detailed win rates by rating and time control.

At what rating does the Slav Defense perform best?

The Slav Defense family performs best at 2500+ Elo with a 52.6% win rate for white (468K games). Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the Slav Defense better in blitz or rapid?

Bullet (51.1%) outperforms Classical (50.1%) by 1.0% across all Slav Defense variations.

How sharp is the Slav Defense?

Slav Defense games are 95.4% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 35 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the Slav Defense a good opening family?

The Slav Defense family is statistically favors white overall with a 50.7% (90% CI: 50.7%-50.7%) aggregated win rate. However, win rates vary significantly between the 40 variations—explore individual lines to find the best fit for your style.