Slav & Semi-Slav Defense

The steel fortress against 1.d4 played by Kasparov, Kramnik and Anand: granite solidity and sharp counterattacks.

The Slav and the Semi-Slav are the most solid and respected defensive weapons of the world elite against 1.d4. Unlike the Queen's Gambit Declined, the Slav keeps the diagonal of the light-squared Bishop on c8 open, while the Semi-Slav gives rise to the famous Meran System and the sharp Botvinnik Variation.

Chapter 1: Pure Slav Defense & Chebanenko Variation (...a6)

Classical Slav lines: 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 and the modern, flexible Chebanenko system with 4...a6.

  1. 1. Classical Slav: 5...Bf5 and 9.Qe2 with e4-e5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5…
  2. 2. Chebanenko Variation (4...a6) against 5.e3 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.e3 b5…
  3. 3. Classical Slav: move order with 8...Nbd7 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5…
  4. 4. Slav Smyslov Variation (5...Na6) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Na6…
  5. 5. Geller Gambit (5.e4 b5): keeping the pawn 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5…
  6. 6. Schlechter Slav with fianchetto (...g6 and ...Bg7) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 5.e3 Bg7…
  7. 7. Chebanenko against 5.c5: the break ...e5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.c5 Nbd7…
  8. 8. Slav 4.e3 Bf5: the defense 6.Qb3 Qc8 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.cxd5 cxd5…

Chapter 2: Semi-Slav Defense - Meran System & Elite Variations

The power of the pawn counterattack with ...b5 and ...c5 in the Meran System, plus the Moscow and Botvinnik Variations.

  1. 9. Semi-Slav Meran: 8...a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7…
  2. 10. Modern Semi-Slav Meran with 8...Bb7 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7…
  3. 11. Moscow Variation: 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6…
  4. 12. Botvinnik Variation: 5...dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4…
  5. 13. Anti-Moscow Gambit: 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6…
  6. 14. Anti-Meran with 6.Qc2 and the break ...e5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7…
  7. 15. Semi-Slav with Stonewall structure (...Ne4 and ...f5) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Bd6…
  8. 16. Wade Variation: 8...Bb7 9.O-O b4 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7…

Chapter 3: Exchange Slav, Noteboom & Tactical Surprises

Defusing the dull Exchange Variation and mastering sharp tactical lines such as the Winawer Countergambit and the Noteboom.

  1. 17. Exchange Slav: symmetrical development with 6...Bf5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6…
  2. 18. The Winawer Countergambit (3.Nc3 e5) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e5 4.dxe5 d4 5.Ne4 Qa5+…
  3. 19. Noteboom Variation (3...e6 4.Nf3 dxc4) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Bb4…
  4. 20. Marshall Gambit in the Semi-Slav (4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+…
  5. 21. Krause Attack (6.Ne5) with the counter-push 7...c5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5…
  6. 22. Exchange Slav with 5.Bf4 and 7.Qb3 Na5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bf4 Nc6…
  7. 23. Slav 4.e3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5: the exchange on f3 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5…
  8. 24. Slav 5.e3 b5 6.a4 b4: the Knight driven to a2 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e3 b5…