Download PGN of March ’22 1 d4 d5 2 c4 games
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Slav: Krause Variation 5.a4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.exd4 [D16]
If the Slav proponent is looking for a solid alternative to the main lines, they might want to consider 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 which can also be considered a sort of Queen's Gambit Accepted where White has played the extra move a4 after 6.e3 c5. I did not add too much more analysis to what we already have on the site, I just wanted to indicate that this is a fine alternative for Black, which hasn’t been analysed as deeply as the main lines. Bosiocic, M - Yu, Y continued with 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.exd4 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qe2 Nc6 11.Rd1 Nb4 12.Ne5 b6 13.Qf3 Rb8 14.Qg3 Bb7 15.Bh6 Ne8:
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Black has played slightly provocatively, but it is all fully approved by the engines. The other critical line was 12.Bg5 where Black has to know some theory but should be equalising.
Main Line Slav: 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Nb6 8.Ne5 a5 [D17]
Grischuk, A - Giri, A featured 5...Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Nb6 8.Ne5 a5 9.f3 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Bxd7!?:
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By far the most common recapture is 10...Nxd7. Positions arising from that recapture tend to look like the game continuation, except that the bishop is on g6 rather than d7. This is quite an interesting difference as it means the bishop is not restricted by the enemy pawns, but by its own pawns! I found Giri’s move to be really underrated and should offer equality if Black plays for a quick ...c5: 11.e4 e6 12.Be2 Bb4 13.0-0 0-0 and here more prudent than Grischuk’s 14.Kh1 (which allows Black to liberate the position immediately with 14...c5) would be 14.Be3, but the not so subtle 14...Rc8 gives Black equality according to my analysis.
Main Line Slav: 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Qc7, 11...g5 12.Ne3 [D17]
Now we come to the “main event” for my inquiring subscriber: 7...Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 g5 12.Ne3 This is one of two testing lines. In a practical game, I’d definitely consider trying my luck in the other line: 12.Nxe5 gxf4 13.Nxd7 although it is a matter of taste which one you prefer. 12...gxf4 13.Nxf5 fxg3 14.hxg3 0-0-0 15.Qc2 Kb8 16.0-0-0:
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Here Edouard, R - Kaufman, R continued with the rare 16...a5 But the more testing move, and the main line is 16...Bb4 which gives Black equality if they know what they're doing: 17.Kb1 Qa5 and now best play seems to be 18.Rd4 although 18.Na2 is also worth considering, in my opinion.
Main Line Slav, piece vs pawns: 6 Ne5 e6 7 f3 Bb4 8.e4 Bxe4 9.fxe4 Nxe4 [D17]
I also included a game on the famous piece sacrifice 6...e6 7.f3 Bb4 8.e4 My recommendation for White is to strongly consider allowing the piece sacrifice at least once(!) as I believe it is practically difficult for Black to play the ensuing positions: 8...Bxe4 9.fxe4 Nxe4 10.Bd2 Qxd4 11.Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12.Qe2 Bxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Qd5+ 14.Kc2:
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The last 6 moves have been more or less forced for both sides. Now Black's best move is 14...Na6 which I argue is not a trivial defence for Black, even if the engines hold those unbalanced endgames. In Dev, S - Srdanovic, J, however, Black chose 14...0-0?! after which 15.Qe3! would have been strong as 16.Bxc4 is obviously a more desirable way to capture the pawn. The game actually transposed back to the main line with 15.Nxc4 Na6 16.Qe5 Rab8 and here White played 17.Rc1! which is stronger than the main move 17.a5. White simply prepares to manually castle and is left with a clear advantage.
Main Line Slav: 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe2 Ne4!? [D19]
This was not a strictly necessary idea, but then, I do not think “strictly necessary” is an indicator in the creative mind of Daniil Dubov: Sarana, A - Dubov, D featured 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe2 Ne4!? A new move for the site:
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Sarana immediately disappointed the Slav pundits with the harmless 10.Nxe4. Instead I consider the critical line to be 10.Ne5 Nd7 11.Nxd7 Qxd7 12.Na2 Ba5 when play is likely to continue 13.f3 Nd6 14.Bb3 Bg6 15.e4 Kh8. Seeing as White has laid claim to the centre, Black is looking to strike against it quickly with ...f5 and the structure remains complicated.
Queen’s Gambit Accepted: 3.e4 b5 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.Nc3 Qb6 7.Nd5 Qb7 8.Bf4 e5 [D20]
Once again, Aronian was fortunate enough to display his expertise in the new and trendy line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 b5 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.Nc3 Qb6. His game against Nakamura this month followed Aronian, L - Dominguez, P. L from the previous update until move 14: 7.Nd5 Qb7 8.Bf4 e5 9.Bxe5 Nd7 10.Bf4 Ngf6 11.Nc7+ Kd8 12.Nxa8 Qxe4+ 13.Ne2 Qxa8 14.Qd2:
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Yet a new move from Aronian! Against Dominguez he played 14.f3. In the press conference Aronian mentioned that he did not expect this at all but he had already prepared various ideas in advance. I wonder if we will see more of these ideas or whether his opponents will accept defeat by avoiding this whole line against him? After 14...Nd5 15.Nc3 Bb4 16.Be2 Re8 17.Bg3 we have a very unclear position where the engine gives a bunch of zeroes. Human practice is starting to tell us, however, that this sort of position is more difficult for Black than for White. See Aronian, L - Nakamura, H.
Semi Tarrasch: 5...cxd4 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.e4 [D41]
Aronian, L - Nepomniachtchi, I was not the most exciting update of the month but a rather important one. It has been known for a long time that the endgame occurring in this game is equal but I had somehow missed it the last time I covered the Semi-Tarrasch with 5...cxd4 (although at the time, it was not hugely popular): 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.e4 dxe4 The old main line 7...Nc6 8.Bb5 dxe4 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Ng5 Be6 is less convincing in my opinion due to 11.Nxe6+ fxe6 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Ke2. 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Ng5 Be6 10.Nxe6+ fxe6:
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Black has ugly pawns in the centre but one of them is a free pawn anyway. Once the e4-pawn drops, the remaining e6-pawn is not particularly weak. In fact, it gives Black some sense of solidity! A friend of mine has claimed that this is the “Berlin” of 1.d4. Let’s hope it doesn’t kill the game of chess altogether... 11.Bg5 Nc6 12.0-0-0+ Ke8 13.Bxf6 (13.Bc4 Ne5! is important) 13...gxf6 14.Nxe4 f5 15.Ng5 Bh6 16.h4 Ke7 and the game was eventually agreed drawn.
Catalan Main Line: 7.Na3 [E06]
Finally, an encounter we have definitely seen before is Carlsen, M - Nepomniachtchi, I in the Catalan. This time, Nepo comes with a strong idea but after revealing just a single move of preparation, he blitzes out the wrong (almost losing) follow-up! 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Na3 Carlsen repeats the pawn sacrifice that brought him victory against Anish Giri at the Tata Steel earlier in the year. 7...Bxa3 8.bxa3 Bd7 9.a4 Bc6 10.Ba3 Re8 11.Qc2 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Bd5!?:
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Could this be the simple neutraliser of Carlsen's 7.Na3 flirtation? It does seem that way according to my analysis...13.Rfe1 Rc8?? But not like this! White has a near decisive advantage after this move, and for obvious reasons: Black merely wastes two tempi with his bishop while White has gained the centre for free. Instead, Nepo's preparation would definitely have been 13...a5! 14.e4 Bc6 and with ...Nb6 to follow, it is not clear that White is gaining enough compensation. 14.e4 Bc6 15.Nd2 c3 16.Nb1 Nb6 17.a5 and this is the move which punishes Black immediately and illustrates why 13...a5 was crucial. However, soon after, Carlsen blundered the advantage away and even lost a dramatic endgame.
Until next time, Justin
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