21. Krause Attack (6.Ne5) with the counter-push 7...c5
After 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 Black plays 7...c5, exchanges on d4 and exchanges the Queens. After 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 White will recapture the c4 pawn, but the endgame is equal.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 c5 8.e4 Bg6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 Nfd7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7
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...dxc4 – Black takes the c4 pawn, which White has not yet protected with e3: it now threatens to keep it with ...b5.
- 5.a4 – White prevents ...b5, which would defend the extra pawn, at the cost of weakening the b4 square.
- 5...Bf5 – The Bishop comes out to f5 before ...e6, controls e4 and stays outside the pawn chain: this is the Slav's advantage over the Queen's Gambit Declined.
- 6.Ne5 – The Krause Attack: the Knight jumps to e5 to recapture the c4 pawn and prepare f3 and e4, which would attack the f5 Bishop.
- 6...e6 – Black opens the f8 Bishop, which can go to b4, and protects the f5 Bishop.
- 7.f3 – White prepares e4 to drive away the f5 Bishop and take the center.
- 7...c5 – Black hits d4 before e4 arrives: attacking the center is the best answer to the slow play of f3.
- 8.e4 – White pushes e4 with tempo on the f5 Bishop and completes the center.
- 8...Bg6 – The Bishop retreats to g6, where it presses on e4; if the e5 Knight takes it, Black recaptures with the h-pawn and opens the h-file.
- 9.Be3 – White protects d4 with the Bishop and prepares Bxc4.
- 9...cxd4 – Black exchanges on d4 and opens the c-file and the d-file between the two Queens.
- 10.Qxd4 – The Queen recaptures on d4, but finds itself facing the Black Queen on the d-file.
- 10...Qxd4 – Black exchanges the Queens: without Queens the White center loses strength and the Black King is in no danger.
- 11.Bxd4 – White recaptures with the Bishop, which from d4 dominates the dark squares.
- 11...Nfd7 – The Knight attacks the e5 Knight and prepares the exchange: the b8 Knight is ready to recapture on d7.
- 12.Nxd7 – White exchanges the Knights: it can now recapture the c4 pawn with the Bishop.
- 12...Nxd7 – Black recaptures with the b8 Knight, which now controls c5 and e5 and can go to b6 or c5.
How to exploit the position
Equal queenless endgame: White will recapture the c4 pawn, Black has the better structure and the g6 Bishop pressing on e4.
- After Bxc4 play ...Bb4, which pins the c3 Knight: the e4 pawn is left with one defender fewer.
- With ...Bc5 offer to exchange the d4 Bishop, White's strongest piece.
- The King goes to e7: without Queens it is an active piece in the center.
- The Rook goes to c8 on the open c-file; the d7 Knight can go to b6 against c4 and a4.
Master tips
The Bishop on g6 in danger
With the Knight on e5 and the pawns on f3 and e4, the g6 Bishop can be left shut in.