Abstract: A steam turbine blade having an airfoil portion and root portion by which the blade is affixed to a rotor. The geometry of the blade airfoil is configured to minimize energy loss through the row of blades and reduce the weight of the airfoil. The airfoil has a leading edge and a trailing edge defining a chord therebetween. The chord is reduced linearly from the base of the airfoil to 50% of the airfoil height. However, the chord remains essentially constant from 50% of the airfoil height to the airfoil tip. The root is fir tree shaped and has four sets of tangs and grooves that are configured to minimize the stresses in the root.