Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation
Chess opening · ECO D15 · 7 half-moves
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3
The Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation is reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3. It is Black's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Slav Defense: Modern Line with 3… Nf6 4. Nc3.
How often it is played
The Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation and its variations appeared in 0.35% of games — 10,616 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 119 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 51%, 5.1% were drawn and Black won 44%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.
What the engine thinks
Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at +0.39 — a small edge for White. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.
Similar openings
The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.
| Opening | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Queen's Gambit Declined | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 | 1.3% |
| Queen's Gambit Accepted | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 | 0.80% |
| Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 | 0.49% |
Main continuations
| Variation | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-Slav Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 | 0.15% |
| Slav Defense: Two Knights Attack | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 | 0.04% |
| Slav Defense: Schlechter Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6 | 0.02% |
| Slav Defense: Chebanenko Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 | 0.01% |
| Slav Defense: Süchting Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Qb6 | 0.00% |
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