14. Anti-Meran with 6.Qc2 and the break ...e5
Against 6.Qc2 Black develops the Bishop to d6, castles, captures on c4 and gains space with ...b5. After 12.e4 e5 both sides have pushed a central pawn and the position opens up.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-O dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Be2 Bb7 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.e4 e5
Move by move
- 1.d4 – White opens with the Queen's pawn: it occupies d4, controls e5 and c5 and prepares c4 to put pressure on the Black center.
- 1...d5 – Black answers symmetrically: the d5 pawn prevents e4 and claims its share of the center.
- 2.c4 – The Queen's Gambit: the c4 pawn attacks d5 and threatens cxd5, to take away Black's control of e4.
- 2...c6 – The Slav Defense: c6 supports d5 without blocking the diagonal of the c8 Bishop, which can come out to f5 or g4 before ...e6.
- 3.Nf3 – The Knight comes out toward the center, controls e5 and protects d4; White keeps the choice open between Nc3, e3 and the Exchange Variation.
- 3...Nf6 – The Black Knight controls e4 and defends d5 a second time: White cannot push e4 without preparation.
- 4.Nc3 – The Knight increases the pressure on d5 and prepares e4; now ...dxc4 becomes a real threat, because c4 is not defended.
- 4...e6 – The Semi-Slav: with ...e6 the c6-d5-e6 triangle makes d5 rock solid and prepares ...dxc4 followed by ...b5. The price is the c8 Bishop, now shut in.
- 5.e3 – White protects c4 and d4 with the pawn and opens the f1 Bishop: it avoids the complications of the Botvinnik and prepares Bd3.
- 5...Nbd7 – The Knight goes to d7: it supports the breaks ...e5 and ...c5 and leaves the b8 square free, without blocking the c-pawn.
- 6.Qc2 – The Anti-Meran: the Queen controls e4 and prepares e4; if Black captures on c4, White will recapture with the Bishop without losing tempi.
- 6...Bd6 – The Bishop goes to d6 to support the break ...e5 and prepare castling.
- 7.Bd3 – The Bishop develops to d3, where it controls e4 together with the Queen and aims at h7.
- 7...O-O – Black castles: with the King safe it can capture on c4 and prepare ...e5.
- 8.O-O – White castles: both Kings are safe and the fight moves to the center.
- 8...dxc4 – Black captures on c4 after Bd3: White spends a tempo to recapture.
- 9.Bxc4 – White recaptures the pawn; the Bishop on c4 will be attacked right away by ...b5.
- 9...b5 – Black drives away the Bishop with tempo and gains space: it prepares ...Bb7 and ...c5.
- 10.Be2 – The Bishop retreats to e2, a safe square where it will not be disturbed by ...b4 or ...c5.
- 10...Bb7 – The Bishop goes to b7 on the long diagonal and prepares for the break ...c5.
- 11.Rd1 – The Rook goes to the d-file, facing the Black Queen: it supports d4 and prepares e4.
- 11...Qc7 – The Queen supports ...e5 and connects the Rooks; the battery with the d6 Bishop aims at h2.
- 12.e4 – White pushes e4 and occupies the center: the d4 pawn is defended by the f3 Knight and the d1 Rook.
- 12...e5 – Black breaks in the center: it attacks d4 and frees the diagonal of the d6 Bishop.
How to exploit the position
Open and equal position: Black has active pieces and the Qc7-Bd6 battery against h2.
- If dxe5, recapture with ...Nxe5: after the exchange of Knights the d6 Bishop hits h2.
- With ...exd4 Nxd4 the Black Knight finds the e5 square; then prepare ...c5 or ...b4 to free the diagonal of the b7 Bishop, still blocked by the c6 pawn.
- The Rooks go to e8 and d8 to support play in the center.
- Beware of Nxb5: the b5 pawn is defended by c6, but when you push ...c5 check that it stays protected.
Master tips
The break ...e5
In the Semi-Slav the break ...e5, prepared by ...Bd6 and ...Qc7, is the simplest way to free the game.