Slav Defense

Slav Defense
a b c d e f G H   8th 8th 7th 7th 6th 6th 5 5 4th 4th 3 3 2 2 1 1   a b c d e f G H
Trains	1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6
ECO key	D10-D19
Named after	Chess masters of Slavic origin Simon Alapin , Alexander Alekhine , Efim Bogoljubow , Milan Vidmar
Oldest source	1929

The Slavic Defense is a variant of the Queen's Gambit , an opening to the game of chess , which is divided into several variants. The Slavic Defense is also known as the Slavic Defense in Rejected Queen's Gambit , the Slavic Queen's Gambit, or simply Slavic .

The Slav Defense arises according to the moves:

1. d2-d4 d7-d5

2. c2-c4 c7-c6

It is one of the closed games . In contrast to the rejected Queen's Gambit , the already opened diagonal c8 – h3 is not closed by e7 – e6, so that a development of the bishop c8 after f5 or g4 before e7 – e6 remains possible. Under certain circumstances, after 2.… c7 – c6, Black can successfully try to later accept the gambit pawn with d5xc4.

In terms of the history of ideas, the development of the “open Slav” was an effect of the “hypermodern opening revolution”. Because Black gives up the center with 4.… d5xc4 in order to then compensate for the lack of his own center pawn with a flexible pawn structure and piece pressure.

The breakthrough at the highest level came with Alekhine and especially Euwe in the world championship fights in 1935 and 1937.

variants

Exchange variant

3. c4xd5 c6xd5

After the central tension has been released, a balanced position is created in which white - due to the attraction advantage - has at most a symbolic advantage. The exchange variant is therefore rarely found at grandmaster level or even among the world's best.

Variants with 3. Ng1 – f3

Alapin variant

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Alapin variant: position after 5. a4

3. Ng1-f3

Because of White's knight move, Black cannot implement his basic idea immediately, because 3.… Bc8 – f5? fails on 4. c4xd5 c6xd5 5. Qd1 – b3. Black's usual answers are therefore either 3.… e7 – e6 , which transposes into the semi-Slavic defense , or

3.… Ng8 – f6

4. Nb1-c3 d5xc4

Behind this subsequent acceptance of the gambit is the plan to defend the extra pawn with 5.… b5, which White does with

5. a2-a4

tried to prevent. The most common answers from Black are

• 5.… Bc8 – f5 ( Czech defense ): Black carries out his original plan.
  • 6. e2 – e3 e7 – e6 7. Bf1xc4 Bf8 – b4 8. 0–0 gives White a slight space advantage . The white pawn center is not as flexible as it looks: d4 – d5 leads to exchange and flattening, e4 – e5 results in strengths and weaknesses for both sides. Black will slowly work towards e6 – e5, c6 – c5 or b7 – b5.
  • The recovery of c4 with 6. Nf3 – e5 e7 – e6 7. f2 – f3 leads to considerable complications with 7.… Bf8 – b4 8. e2 – e4 Bf5xe4 9. f3xe4 Nf6xe4 10. Bc1 – d2 Qd8xd4. The idea of ​​immediately asserting the pawn center using f2 – f3 and e2 – e4 was to let a Bg6 bite into granite. An alternative for Black is 6. Nf3 – e5 Nb8 – d7 7. Ne5xc4 Qd8 – c7 with the idea of ​​8. g2 – g3 e7 – e5.
• 5.… Bc8 – g4 ( Steiner variant ): With the help of the bishop move 6. e2 – e4 should be prevented, because it was followed by 6.… e7 – e6 7. Bf1xc4 B8 – b4 with both white knights tied. White's usual answer to the Steiner Variation is 6. Nf3 – e5, in order to ask the bishop g4 and win back the pawn c4.

Tolusch Geller Gambit

In the Tolusch - Geller gambit, in contrast to the Alapin variant, White gives Black the opportunity to cover the pawn c4 with b7 – b5 and takes over

3. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6

4. Nb1-c3 d5xc4

5. e2 – e4

the initiative in the center. The main line is 5.… b7 – b5 6. e4 – e5 Nf6 – d5 7. a2 – a4 e7 – e6 8. a4xb5 Nd5xc3 9. b2xc3 c6xb5 10. Nf3 – g5 Bc8 – b7 11. Qd1 – h5 g7 – g6 12 Qh5-g4 Bf8-e7.

Alekhine variant

The basic idea of ​​the Alekhine variant is similar to the Tolusch-Geller gambit. It arises after

3. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6

4. Nb1-c3 d5xc4

5. e2 – e3

In the Alekhine variant, however, the white e-pawn, in contrast to the latter, cannot be attacked. This gives White time to deal with the recovery of the pawn c4 immediately after 5.… b7 – b5 6. a2 – a4 b5 – b4. Lines 7. Nc3 – a2 e7 – e6 8. Bf1xc4 or 7. Nc3 – b1 Bc8 – a6 8. Qd1 – c2 e7 – e6 9. Bf1xc4 easily achieve this goal.

Chameleon system

The chameleon system popularized by Chebanenko

3. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6

4. Sb1-c3 a7-a6

has the pawn advance 5.… b7 – b5 in mind. White can defend himself against this advance by means of 5. c4 – c5, which gives White space advantage. For his part, Black can try to undo White's pawn structure with 5.… Nb8 – Nd7 and 6.… b7 – b6.

Winawer counter-gambit

The Winawer - counter Gambit arises after the moves

3. Nb1-c3 e7-e5 .

White has the option of accepting the gambit with 4. d4xe5 d5 – d4, rejecting it with 4. e2 – e3 or making the intermediate move 4. c4xd5. There are possible 4. c4xd5 c6xd5 5. d4xe5 d5 – d4 6. Nc3 – e4 Qd8 – a5 + with recovery of the pawn, or 4. c4xd5 c6xd5 5. Ng1 – f3 e5 – e4 6. Nf3 – e5 Nb8 – c6 with complete equalization .

Rare plays

• The fianchetto of black Bf8 was introduced in the game Lasker - Schlechter, Berlin 1910, 10th match .

• Igor Rausis tried his hand at the subsequent acceptance of 3. Ng1 – f3 d5xc4 4. e2 – e3 Bc8 – e6 (5. Nf3 – g5 fails on a double attack Qd8 – a5 +) and as White with 3. Ng1 – f3 Ng8 – f6 4 Dd1-c2 d5xc4 5. e2-e4

• Positions after 1. d2 – d4 d7 – d5 2. c2 – c4 c7 – c6 3. Ng1 – f3 Ng8 – f6 4. g2 – g3 can be counted towards the Catalan opening because of the planned placement of the white bishop on g2 .

literature

• Glenn Flear : Starting Out: Slav & Semi-Slav . Globe Pequot Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-85744-393-6 .
• Konstantin Sakaev : Complete Slav 1 . Chess Evolution, 2012, ISBN 978-83-934656-3-7 .