[Event "Slav Defense: 4.Nc3 Mainline (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3): Slav Defense: 4.Nc3 Mainline (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3)"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D19"] [Opening "Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Dutch Variation"] [StudyName "Slav Defense: 4.Nc3 Mainline (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3)"] [ChapterName "Slav Defense: 4.Nc3 Mainline (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3)"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/Mrqag4R3/XviMSxoK"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/flohahn22"] [UTCDate "2018.12.05"] [UTCTime "13:38:29"] [Orientation "black"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 { This is the main move for Black, making use of the fact that the c4-pawn is temporarily unprotected. Of course, there are other moves which have been played very often like 4...e6 (the Semi-Slav) or 4...a6 (the Chebanenko Slav). } 5. a4 { This is by far White's main move. By playing 5.a4, White makes sure that he gets back the c4-pawn. Otherwise, Black could back it up with ...b5. However, the move a4 has its downsides, too. It not only loses precious time in the opening but also weakens the b4-square which Black will use for his dark-squared bishop. } (5. e4 { This move introduces the Geller Gambit. } { [%csl Rc4,Gd4,Ge4][%cal Gf1c4] } 5... b5 { White has a full center but Black has an extra pawn on c4. We've got a major imbalance very early on. } { [%csl Gc4][%cal Rf1c4] } 6. e5 { White plays aggressively, seizing more space and attacking the knight on f6. } { [%csl Rf6][%cal Ge5f6] } 6... Nd5 7. a4 { This is the critical move. White wants to regain his pawn on the queenside. } 7... e6 { Black has no time to bring his light-squared bishop out in this variation. He needs to stabilize his knight on d5. } (7... Bf5?! 8. axb5 Nxc3 (8... cxb5? { [%csl Rb5][%cal Gc3b5] } 9. Nxb5 $16) 9. bxc3 cxb5 10. Ng5 $18 { [%csl Rf7,Rf5,Ra8][%cal Yd1f3,Yg5f7,Gf3f5,Gf5f7,Gf3a8] } 10... Qd5 11. Be2 { [%csl Ra8,Rd5][%cal Ye2f3,Gf3a8] } 11... Nc6 12. Bf3 Qd7 13. O-O Rc8 14. Re1 e6 15. d5 exd5 16. e6 fxe6 17. Qxd5 Qxd5 18. Bxd5 Kd7 19. Nxe6 g6 20. Bxc6+ Kxc6 21. Rxa7 Bxe6 22. Rxe6+ Kd5 23. Rea6 Bc5 24. Rd7+ Ke5 25. Be3 Bxe3 26. fxe3 Rhd8 27. Re7+ Kf5 28. Kf2 Ra8 29. Rb6 Rab8 30. Rbe6 Rd3 31. Kf3 Kg5 32. Rxh7 Rf8+ 33. Ke4 Rg8 34. Re5+ Kf6 35. Rhe7 Rh8 36. g4 Rh4 37. Kf4 g5+ 38. Kg3 Rd6 39. Re8 Rd2 40. R8e7 Rd6 41. Re8 Rd2 42. Rf5+ Kg6 43. Rg8+ Kh7 44. Rfxg5 { Yermolinsky, Alex - Tukmakov, Vladimir B, 1-0, URS Army-chT, 1986, https://lichess.org/5wZ1RH3T }) 8. axb5 Nxc3 { Black has to capture the knight first in order to keep his b-pawn. } (8... cxb5? 9. Nxb5) 9. bxc3 cxb5 10. Ng5 { White threatens Qf3. } { [%csl Rf7][%cal Yd1f3,Gf3a8,Gf3f7,Yg5f7] } 10... Bb7 { [%cal Gb7f3,Rd1f3] } 11. Qh5 { [%csl Rf7][%cal Gh5f7,Yg5f7] } 11... g6 12. Qg4 { This is the old mainline and has also been seen in a game between Nakamura and Carlsen in 2009. } 12... Bd5 (12... Be7 { This is the main move here for Black. } 13. Be2 h5 14. Qg3 Bd5 15. O-O a5 { Black wants to expand on the queenside. } 16. f4 Nc6 17. f5 h4 18. Qf2 Bxg5 19. fxg6 O-O 20. gxf7+ Kg7 21. Be3 Qe7 22. Bh5 Rh8 23. Bd1 Raf8 24. Bc2 Rh5 25. Rae1 Bxe3 26. Rxe3 Rxf7 { Ivanov, Igor V - Chernin, Alexander, 0-1, World op 17th, 1989, https://lichess.org/NYwzX7e6 }) 13. h4 h6 14. Ne4 Nd7 15. h5 g5 16. Be2 a5 17. O-O b4 18. Nd2 Nb6 19. f4 bxc3 20. Nf3 gxf4 21. Bxf4 Kd7 22. Ne1 Kc6 23. Nc2 Bb4 24. Rf2 Qe7 25. Qh3 Rag8 26. Bf1 Rg7 27. Ne3 Kb7 28. Ng4 Nd7 29. Bc1 Kc6 30. Ne3 Nb6 31. Nxd5 Nxd5 32. Bxc4 Rhg8 33. Bxd5+ exd5 34. Bxh6 Rg3 35. Qf5 Qe6 36. Qxe6+ fxe6 37. Bf4 R3g4 38. Be3 Kb5 39. h6 Kc4 40. Kf1 Kd3 41. Rf3 Kc4 42. Rh3 Rf8+ 43. Kg1 Rfg8 44. Kh1 Kb3 45. Rf1 a4 46. Bd2 Rxd4 47. Bxc3 Bxc3 48. Rc1 Rc4 49. h7 Rh8 50. g4 a3 51. g5 Kb2 52. Rg1 Bxe5 53. Rg2+ Rc2 { Nakamura, Hikaru - Carlsen, Magnus, 0-1, Gjovik Aker CC Blitz, 2009, https://lichess.org/DdiRry8S }) 5... Bf5 { Now, Black has time to bring his bishop outside the pawn chain. He also prevents White from playing e2-e4 with this move. White is at a crossroad here. He has a choice between the two main moves 6.e3 and 6.Ne5. } 6. e3 (6. Ne5 { White wants to regain the pawn on c4. } { [%csl Rc4][%cal Ge5c4] } 6... Nbd7 (6... e6 { This is the other big main move for Black which is connected to a pawn sacrifice on e4. } 7. f3 Bb4 8. e4 Bxe4 9. fxe4 Nxe4 10. Bd2 Qxd4 11. Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12. Qe2 Bxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Qd5+ 14. Kc2 Na6 15. Nxc4 b5 16. axb5 Nb4+ 17. Kc3 cxb5 18. Rd1 Qc5 19. Qe5 Nd5+ 20. Rxd5 b4+ 21. Kb3 Qxd5 22. Be2 O-O 23. Qxd5 exd5 24. Na5 Rfe8 25. Bf3 Rac8 26. Rd1 Re3+ 27. Ka4 b3 28. Rxd5 g6 29. Rd7 Rc2 30. Ka3 Kg7 31. Rxa7 h5 32. h3 h4 33. Rb7 Rc5 34. Kb4 Rf5 35. Rc7 g5 36. Nxb3 Rf4+ 37. Rc4 Rxc4+ 38. Kxc4 f5 39. Nd4 Kf6 40. b4 Re1 41. b5 Ke5 42. Nc6+ Kd6 43. b6 Rc1+ 44. Kb5 g4 45. b7 Rb1+ 46. Nb4 Kc7 47. hxg4 fxg4 48. Be4 { Kramnik, Vladimir - Shirov, Alexei, 1-0, Linares 17th, 2000, https://lichess.org/xewoMCnz }) 7. Nxc4 Nb6 { [%csl Rc4][%cal Gb6c4] } (7... Qc7 { This move is also playable but leads to a very sharp and deeply analyzed variation. Black needs to be well-prepared. }) 8. Ne5 { This is White's main move. } (8. Nxb6 axb6 { Black is fine here. } 9. f3 e5 10. dxe5 Qxd1+ 11. Kxd1 Nd7 12. e4 Be6 13. Kc2 b5 14. b3 bxa4 15. bxa4 b5 16. Bb2 bxa4 17. Nxa4 Be7 18. Be2 O-O 19. Bc3 Rfb8 20. Nb2 Bb3+ 21. Kd3 Bg5 22. Rxa8 Rxa8 23. Bd1 Nc5+ 24. Kd4 Ne6+ 25. Kd3 Nf4+ 26. Ke3 Nd5+ 27. Kd3 Nf4+ 28. Ke3 Nxg2+ 29. Kf2 Bxd1 30. Kxg2 Bc2 31. Nc4 Ra2 32. Ra1 Rxa1 33. Bxa1 c5 34. Bc3 Kf8 35. Kg3 Bc1 36. Nd6 Ba3 37. f4 Bb4 38. Bb2 Bd3 39. Kf3 c4 40. Ke3 Bf1 41. Kd4 Bd2 42. f5 Bf4 43. h4 h5 44. Ba3 Kg8 45. Nc8 c3 46. Ne7+ Kh7 47. Nd5 Bg3 48. e6 fxe6 49. fxe6 Bxh4 50. e7 Bb5 51. Kxc3 Bg3 52. Kd2 h4 53. Ke3 h3 54. Kf3 h2 55. Kg2 Be5 56. Bc1 Bf1+ 57. Kh1 Bb5 58. Bf4 Bxf4 59. Nxf4 Kg8 60. Kxh2 Kf7 { Ding Liren - Ma Qun, 1/2-1/2, 4th Chinese Rapid Masters, 2014, https://lichess.org/lrJCAyin }) 8... a5 { Black stops the advance of White's a -pawn and fixes the weakness of the b4-square. } 9. f3 (9. g3 e6 10. Bg2 Bb4 11. O-O O-O 12. e3 h6 13. Qe2 Bh7 14. Rd1 Nfd7 15. Nd3 Qe7 16. e4 e5 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. dxe5 Bc5 19. Be3 Bxe3 20. Qxe3 Nc4 21. Qe2 Nxe5 22. f4 Nd7 23. Rd4 Rfd8 24. Rad1 Nc5 25. Qe3 Rxd4 26. Rxd4 Nb3 27. Rd1 Re8 28. e5 Qc5 29. Qxc5 Nxc5 30. Bf1 Kf8 31. Kf2 Ke7 32. Ke3 f6 33. exf6+ Kxf6+ 34. Kf2 Bc2 35. Rc1 Bb3 36. Nd5+ Bxd5 37. Rxc5 Re4 38. Bg2 Rc4 39. Rxc4 Bxc4 40. Ke3 Bb3 41. Kd4 Bxa4 42. Kc5 Bb3 43. Be4 a4 44. h4 Bd1 45. Kd6 h5 46. Bd3 Bf3 47. Kc5 b5 48. Bc2 Ke6 49. Bg6 Kd7 50. Bc2 Kc7 51. b3 a3 52. Bb1 Be4 53. Ba2 Kd7 54. Kb4 Ke6 { Gelfand, Boris - Wang, Yue, 0-1, Sochi FIDE GP, 2008, https://lichess.org/q4G7jyfa }) 9... Nfd7 10. Nxd7 Nxd7 11. e4 Bg6 12. Be3 e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Qe2 Nd7 15. Rd1 Bb4 16. g3 Qe7 17. Bh3 Rd8 18. O-O O-O 19. Rd4 Rfe8 20. Rfd1 Nf8 21. Qd3 Rxd4 22. Qxd4 f5 23. exf5 Bxf5 24. Bxf5 Qxe3+ 25. Qxe3 Rxe3 26. Kf2 Bc5 27. Kg2 Bb4 28. Rd8 g6 29. Be4 Bxc3 30. bxc3 Re2+ 31. Kh3 Ra2 32. Rb8 Rxa4 33. Rxb7 Rc4 34. Bb1 Rxc3 35. Ba2+ Kh8 36. Rf7 Kg8 37. Ra7+ Kh8 38. Rf7 Kg8 39. Re7+ { Edouard, R. - Akopian, Vl, 1/2-1/2, 41st Olympiad Open 2014, https://lichess.org/CocjLe2h }) 6... e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 { Black pins the knight on c3. } { [%csl Rc3][%cal Gb4e1] } 8. O-O { Black has a choice between 8...Nbd7 and 8...0-0 here. Both moves can lead to the same variation, but there are some subtle differences. } 8... Nbd7 9. Qe2 (9. Qb3 { [%csl Rb4][%cal Gb3b4] } 9... a5 10. Na2 { [%csl Rb4][%cal Ga2b4] } 10... Be7 11. Qxb7 Rb8 12. Qa6 Ra8 13. Qb7 Rb8 { Black can force a draw here. }) 9... Bg6 10. e4 O-O 11. Bd3 Bh5 { [%csl Rf3][%cal Gh5e2] } 12. e5 Nd5 13. Nxd5 cxd5 14. Qe3 { Again, Black has a choice between 14...Re8 and 14...Be7. } 14... Re8 (14... Be7 15. Ng5 Bxg5 16. Qxg5 Bg6 17. Be2 { [%cal Yd7b8,Gb8c6] } 17... Nb8 18. Qxd8 Rxd8 19. Bd2 Nc6 20. Bc3 f6 21. exf6 gxf6 22. a5 a6 23. Rfe1 Kf7 24. Ra3 e5 25. Rb3 Rab8 26. dxe5 fxe5 27. Rb6 Rd7 28. b4 d4 29. Bc4+ Kg7 30. Bd2 Rc7 31. b5 Na7 32. Bf1 Nxb5 33. Rxe5 d3 34. h4 Rc2 35. Bf4 Rd8 36. Rxb7+ Kg8 37. Ree7 Rc5 38. Rg7+ Kh8 39. Rgd7 Rd5 40. Rxd5 Rxd5 41. Bd2 Nd6 42. Rd7 Bf5 43. Rd8+ Kg7 44. f3 h5 45. Kf2 Kf7 46. Ke1 Ke7 47. Bg5+ Ke6 48. Bf4 Nc4 49. Rxd5 Kxd5 50. g4 hxg4 51. fxg4 Bxg4 52. Bxd3 Nxa5 53. Bxa6 Bh5 54. Kf2 Nc4 55. Bb7+ Ke6 56. Bc8+ Kf6 57. Bc1 Nd6 58. Bd7 Bg6 59. Bg4 Bf5 60. Be2 Kg6 61. Ke3 Bc2 62. Kf4 Nf5 63. h5+ Kh7 64. Bg4 Ng7 65. Kg5 Nxh5 66. Bxh5 Bd3 67. Kf6 Bc2 { Onischuk, Al - Akopian, Vl, 1/2-1/2, 10th World Teams 2015, https://lichess.org/2suHbnEb }) 15. Bd2 Qa5 16. Qe1 Bxd2 17. Qxd2 Qd8 18. Ng5 Bg6 19. Bxg6 fxg6 20. f4 Rc8 21. Rac1 Qb6 22. a5 Qa6 23. Qb4 h6 24. Nf3 b6 25. Qd6 Nf8 26. axb6 axb6 27. Qb4 Qd3 28. Qd2 Qb3 29. Rfe1 Rxc1 30. Rxc1 Ra8 31. h4 Ra2 32. Rc2 Ra1+ 33. Kh2 Rb1 34. Kg3 Kh7 35. Rc8 Rxb2 36. Qc1 Qa2 37. Qh1 Qa3 38. Qc1 Qa2 39. Qh1 Qa3 40. Qc1 { Aronian, L. - Nakamura, Hi, 1/2-1/2, 2nd Sinquefield Cup 2014, https://lichess.org/mewHWXvN } *