...

Slav Defense

Chesspedia, the Free Chess Encyclopedia.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a b c d e f g h

The Slav Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves (in algebraic notation)

1.d4 d5
2.c4 c6

The Slav is one of the primary defenses to the Queen's Gambit. Although it was analyzed as early as 1590, it wasn't until the 1920s that it started to be explored extensively. Many masters of Slavic descent helped develop the theory of this opening, including Alapin, Alekhine, Bogoljubov, and Vidmar. The Slav received an exhaustive test during the two Alekhine–Euwe World Championship matches in 1935 and 1937. Played by 11 of the first 13 world champions, this defense was particularly favored by Euwe, Botvinnik, and Smyslov. More recently the Slav has been adopted by Anand, Ivanchuk, Lautier, Short, and other top grandmasters. Today the theory of the Slav is very extensive and well developed.

[edit]

General considerations

Black faces three major problems in many variations of the Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD).

  • Development of the Black queen bishop is difficult, as it is often blocked by ...e6.
  • The pawn structure offers White targets, especially the possibility of a minority attack on the queenside in the Exchange variation of the QGD.
  • White often plays Bg5 to pin the black king knight on f6 against the black queen, and unpinning it is awkward for Black.

The Slav addresses all of these problems. Black's queen bishop is unblocked, the pawn structure remains balanced, and the move Bg5 is not yet threatening as the unmoved black pawn on e7 prevents the pin. Also, if Black later takes the gambit pawn with ...dxc4, the support provided by the pawn on c6 allows ...b5 which may threaten to keep the gambit pawn or to drive away a white piece that has captured it, gaining Black a tempo for queenside expansion.

On the other side, Black usually won't be able to develop the queen bishop without first giving up the center with ...dxc4, and moving this bishop may leave the Black queenside weak. White will try to dominate the center with e2-e4.

[edit]

Main variations

Main variations of the Slav Defense
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a b c d e f g h
Slav Exchange Variation
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a b c d e f g h
Slav Declined
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a b c d e f g h
Slav Gambit
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a b c d e f g h
Alapin Variation (main line)
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a b c d e f g h
Czech Variation
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a b c d e f g h
Steiner Variation

The Slav can be entered by many different move orders. The possibilities include 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6, 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.d4 Nf6, and so on. From the standard Slav position (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6), the most important continuations are

  • 3.Nc3 e5 (Winawer Countergambit)
  • 3.Nc3 e6 (Semi-Slav Defense)
  • 3.cxd5 cxd5 (Slav Exchange Variation)
  • 3.Nf3 e6 (Semi-Slav Defense)
  • 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 (main line)
    • 4... a6
    • 4... dxc4 (Slav Accepted)
      • 5.a4 (Alapin Variation)
        • 5... Na6 (Smyslov Variation)
        • 5... e6 (Soultanbéieff Variation)
        • 5... Bf5 (Czech Variation)
          • 6.e3 (Dutch Variation)
          • 6.Ne5 (Krause Attack)
          • 6.Nh4
        • 5... Bg4 (Steiner Variation)
      • 5.e3 (Alekhine Variation)
      • 5.e4 (Slav Gambit)
    • 4... e6 (Semi-Slav Defense)
    • 4... g6 (Schlechter Variation)
  • 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 (Slav Declined)

The Slav Exchange Variation takes most of the fun out of the Slav for Black. After 3.cxd5 cxd5, the symmetrical position offers White only the advantage of the extra move, but the drawish position offers Black little chance to win unless White is overly ambitious. To avoid this possibility Black often chooses the move order 2...e6 followed by 3...c6 to enter the Semi-Slav.

Black can also transpose into the Semi-Slav Defense by playing ...e6 on either the third or fourth move. The Semi-Slav Defense, a kind of a combination Orthodox Defense and Slav Defense, is a very complex opening in its own right. See Semi-Slav Defense for details.

After 3.Nc3, the pressure on Black's center prevents 3...Bf5?, since after 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Qb3 White wins a pawn. Another Black try that doesn't work is 3...Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Qb3 Bc8 and now f4 and Nf3 followed by Ne5 gives White a big advantage. Black can try the Winawer Countergambit, 3.Nc3 e5, which was introduced in Marshall–Winawer, Monte Carlo 1901, but usually Black transposes into the Semi-Slav with either 3...e6 or 3...Nf6 4.Nf3 e6.

White's other knight move is more popular than Nc3. White can avoid the complexities of the Slav Accepted by entering the Slav Declined with 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3. A common continuation is 4...Bf5 5.cxd5 cxd5. White will try to take advantage of the absence of Black's queen