7. Chebanenko against 5.c5: the break ...e5
After 5.c5 Nbd7 6.Bf4 Black plays 6...Nh5: the Bishop retreats to d2 and leaves the e5 square free, where the Black pawn arrives immediately.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.c5 Nbd7 6.Bf4 Nh5 7.Bd2 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...a6 – The Chebanenko: Black prepares ...b5, which gains space and, after ...dxc4, will hold the pawn, without yet deciding where the c8 Bishop goes.
- 5.c5 – White closes the center: it takes away Black's push ...b5 with a grip and gains space on the queenside.
- 5...Nbd7 – The Knight goes to d7 to prepare ...e5, the break that hits the base of the d4-c5 chain.
- 6.Bf4 – The Bishop comes out to f4 and controls e5: it is the piece that prevents the break ...e5.
- 6...Nh5 – The Knight attacks the f4 Bishop, the defender of e5: if White lets it be exchanged, Black gets the bishop pair.
- 7.Bd2 – The Bishop retreats to d2 so as not to be exchanged, but from there it no longer controls e5.
- 7...e5 – The break ...e5 attacks d4: if it falls, the c5 pawn is left without support and Black frees its pieces.
How to exploit the position
The break ...e5 undermines the base of the d4-c5 chain: Black gets play in the center and frees its pieces.
- If dxe5, recapture with ...Nxc5: without the d4 pawn the c5 pawn is no longer protected.
- If Nxe5, exchange with ...Nxe5 and after dxe5 take the c5 pawn with the f8 Bishop.
- The h5 Knight returns to f6 when needed; the c8 Bishop comes out to e6 or g4.
- If White leaves the tension, ...exd4 followed by ...Be7 and ...O-O leads to an open position with good Black pieces.
Master tips
The base of the chain
When White pushes c5, the weak point is d4, the base of the chain: the break ...e5 attacks it.