Queen's Gambit & Slav Defense

The strategic pillar of closed games: Tartakower, Orthodox, Slav, Semi-Slav Meran and the Queen's Gambit Accepted.

The 1.d4 and 2.c4 repertoire for White: handle the Carlsbad structure with the minority attack, the isolated queen's pawn, the Slav and Semi-Slav, the Queen's Gambit Accepted and the less common defenses, while avoiding the classic traps.

Chapter 1: Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD), Tartakower & Carlsbad Structure

How to punish Black's classic 2...e6 setup with the minority attack b4-b5 or active central play with e4.

  1. 1. Carlsbad Exchange Variation (b4 Minority Attack) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6…
  2. 2. Tartakower Defense (7...b6 and Fianchetto of the c8 Bishop) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O…
  3. 3. Lasker Defense (7...Ne4 and Simplification) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O…
  4. 4. Cambridge Springs Defense (Qa5 and Counter-Pressure on c3) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.Nf3 c6…
  5. 5. G3 Fianchetto Variation (Positional Attack) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 c5…
  6. 6. Botvinnik Variation (Nge2 and the Central Push e4) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6…
  7. 7. Harrwitz Attack with 4.Bf4 (Control of e5) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O…

Chapter 2: Slav Defense, Exchange Slav & Semi-Slav Meran

Black's most solid answers with c6: from pressure on the c4 pawn to the wild complications of the Meran System.

  1. 8. Classical Slav (dxc4 and Active Bishop on f5) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5…
  2. 9. Exchange Slav (3.cxd5 cxd5) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bf4 Nc6…
  3. 10. Chebanenko Variation (4...a6) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.e3 b5…
  4. 11. Semi-Slav Meran (Attack with b5 and c5) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7…
  5. 12. Ultra-Sharp Botvinnik System (5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4…
  6. 13. Moscow Variation (5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6…
  7. 14. Anti-Meran with 6.Qc2 and the Shirov-Shirov Gambit 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7…

Chapter 3: Queen's Gambit Accepted (QGA) & Albin Counter-Gambit

What to do when Black accepts the pawn on c4, counterattacks with 2...e5 or 2...Nc6, or chooses hybrid systems such as the Noteboom, Marshall and Tarrasch.

  1. 15. Queen's Gambit Accepted (3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5…
  2. 16. QGA - Immediate Central Occupation with 3.e4 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Bxc4 Nc6…
  3. 17. Albin Counter-Gambit (4.Nf3 and 5.g3, Avoiding the Lasker Trap) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3 Be6…
  4. 18. Chigorin Defense (2...Nc6! Pressure on d4) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5…
  5. 19. Noteboom Variation (Connected Passed Pawns a6-b5-c4) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Bb4…
  6. 20. Marshall Gambit (3...e6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+…
  7. 21. Tarrasch Defense (3...c5) and Rubinstein System with g3 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nc6…
  8. 22. Avoiding the Elephant Trap (6.e3 and the Carlsbad Structure) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5…