Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation
The Botvinnik Variation of the Semi-Slav arises after 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4, with White grabbing the full center while Black holds an extra pawn on c4. Black's main reply 6...b5 starts a famous sacrificial line where both sides attack, and slower moves give White an easy lead.
- Moves
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4
- ECO
- D44
- Engine
- +0.68 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 181 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 48.9%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- After 6...b5, push e5 and answer ...h6 with Bh4; the knight capture on g5 then rips open Black's kingside.
- Against 6...Be7, recapture with Bxc4 and trade on f6, castling with a clean central edge.
- Against 6...Qa5, Bxf6 breaks Black's pawns and Bxc4 regains the pawn with a big lead in development.
- Use the d5 push when Black's pieces are not ready to meet it.
Black
- 6...b5 is the only move that keeps full tension; follow with ...h6 and ...g5 after e5.
- After Nxg5 hxg5 Bxg5, your extra piece fights against White's pawns; play ...Nbd7 and ...Bb7 quickly.
- Avoid 6...Be7 and 6...Qa5 unless you are happy with a passive game after White wins back c4.
- Long castling is common in the sharp lines, since the kingside pawns have moved.
Plans and pawn structure
After 6...b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5, Black has a piece for pawns. White has a strong pawn on e5 and play on the kingside. Black has queenside pawns on b5 and c4 and will play ...Nbd7, ...Bb7 and ...Qb6, often castling long, then push ...c5. The game is about whose attack lands first. In the slower lines White simply takes c4 back and enjoys a central edge.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.68: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:
- +0.68 6...b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5
- +1.06 6...Be7 7.Bxc4 h6 8.Bxf6 Bxf6 9.O-O
- +1.08 6...Qa5 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Bxc4 b5 9.Bb3
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
181 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 48.9%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- Botvinnik Variation, Lilienthal Variation6...b5 · rare
How to play against it
With Black, play 6...b5 and know the follow-up; other moves let White take back the pawn and keep a free edge. With White, if you face this line, be ready for the sacrifice on g5 and the race. Keep your king safe before chasing Black's.
Other lines with this name
The lichess opening list also files this line under the same name, though it reaches a different position: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5.
Questions
What are the moves of the Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation?
The Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation starts 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4. Its ECO code is D44.
Is the Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation good for White?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.68 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. Only for players on both sides who have studied the forcing lines; a club player without preparation can lose quickly here.
What is the main idea of the Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation?
White takes the center with e4 while Black keeps the extra c4 pawn. After 6...b5 and e5, the game enters forcing lines where White sacrifices on g5 and Black races with queenside pawns.
What should Black play next?
The engine's first choice is b5, with Be7 and Qa5 close behind. 6...b5 defends c4 and keeps the extra pawn, leading into the sharpest line in the Semi-Slav.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.