Method for the semi-continuous casting of a strand made of steel in a continuous casting machine, wherein the continuous casting machine has - a cooled open-ended mold for the primary cooling of the strand, followed by - a strand guide for supporting and guiding the strand, having secondary cooling for cooling the strand, followed in turn by - tertiary cooling for cooling the strand further, comprising the method steps: - start of casting in the continuous casting machine, wherein liquid steel is poured into the open-ended mold closed off by a dummy bar and the liquid steel forms with the dummy bar a fully solidified strand start and then a partially solidified strand; - extracting the partially solidified strand from the open-ended mold; - supporting and guiding the partially solidified strand in the strand guide, wherein the partially solidified strand is cooled by the secondary cooling; - end of casting in the continuous casting machine, wherein the pouring of liquid steel into the open-ended mold is ended and a strand end forms; - extracting the strand end from the open-ended mold; - ending extraction, such that the strand end is located outside the open-ended mold; - ending secondary cooling; - controlled or regulated cooling of the partially solidified strand until full solidification of the strand in the tertiary cooling zone of the continuous casting machine, wherein the cooling takes place more strongly at the strand start and in a decreasing manner toward the strand end and the cooling of the partially solidified strand in the tertiary cooling zone is set by influencing at least one from the group of: - thermal insulation of the strand (1, 1b), - heating of the strand (1, 1b), - surface cooling of the strand (1, 1b); - discharging the strand from the continuous casting machine. - a cooled open-ended mold for the primary cooling of the strand, followed by - a strand guide for supporting and guiding the strand, having secondary cooling for cooling the strand, followed in turn by - tertiary cooling for cooling the strand further, comprising the method steps: - start of casting in the continuous casting machine, wherein liquid steel is poured into the open-ended mold closed off by a dummy bar and the liquid steel forms with the dummy bar a fully solidified strand start and then a partially solidified strand; - extracting the partially solidified strand from the open-ended mold; - supporting and guiding the partially solidified strand in the strand guide, wherein the partially solidified strand is cooled by the secondary cooling; - end of casting in the continuous casting machine, wherein the pouring of liquid steel into the open-ended mold is ended and a strand end forms; - extracting the strand end from the open-ended mold; - ending extraction, such that the strand end is located outside the open-ended mold; - ending secondary cooling; - controlled or regulated cooling of the partially solidified strand until full solidification of the strand in the tertiary cooling zone of the continuous casting machine, wherein the cooling takes place more strongly at the strand start and in a decreasing manner toward the strand end and the cooling of the partially solidified strand in the tertiary cooling zone is set by influencing at least one from the group of: - thermal insulation of the strand (1, 1b), - heating of the strand (1, 1b), - surface cooling of the strand (1, 1b); - discharging the strand from the continuous casting machine.