Download PGN of September ’19 1 d4 d5 2 c4 games
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Slav Exchange 4.Bg5 f6 [D10]
The provocative bishop move 4.Bg5 is all the rage at the moment and led to sharp play in Yurtseven, M - Nasuta, G. Of course Black can reply in all sorts of ways and I personally feel that 4...h6 is a good practical choice. In the game 4...f6 5.Bd2 Nc6 6.Nc3 Bf5 7.e4! was a lot more fun that the usual Exchange Slav!
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The engines are happy with Black in the resulting positions, but I have a preference for White as he has the easier development.
Slav Defence 3.Nc3 dxc4 4.e4 b5 5.a4 [D10]
In general 3.Nc3 is used to try and steer the game away from some of Black's main lines, and 3...dxc4 in reply aims to disrupt any such plans. Then after 4.e4 b5 5.a4 b4 Black forces the knight to retreat and so gains valuable time to help him develop:
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In Polak, T - Demidov, M White chose 6.Na2 which sometimes leads to this knight being offside for quite some time (as here!), but after a quick Bxc4 White can press down the c-file. In my experience such positions are not bad for Black (as the Meran-style knight on d5 is so influential), but he has to be careful if he can't get ...c6-c5 in relatively soon. In the game, both sides had their chances, but White was on top for most of the time. The end was no doubt played on increment which can be exciting, but can lead to big blunders.
Slav Defence 4.Nbd2 Bf5 [D11]
If 4.e3 is the Slow Slav then 4.Nbd2 should be called the Slower Slav, perhaps? Anyway, in Vallejo Pons, F - Peng Xiongjian the cagey opening soon made way for an explosive series of tactical blows with both sides going for gold. Simplification led to a 'two pieces for a rook' late-middlegame which should have been a shade better for White, but after an error it was Black who had the winning chances.
For me (and most other folk) 4...Bf5! is the best response, intending to meet 5.Nh4 with 5...Be4!, as in the featured game.
Slow Slav 4.e3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5 6.g4 Bg6 7.Ne5 [D12]
In Ravi, T - Nasuta, G Black, slightly surprisingly, didn't protect his b-pawn in the diagram position after 9.Qb3:
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Instead, he opted for 9...e6!? (which, if I'm right, was first played by Olga Girya in 2016). White captured the offrand and went on to win, but I think that the gambit is still viable especially with 10...Rb8 (instead of 10...Nxg4, although that might not be bad either), as you can see in the notes. As for the better known alternatives on move nine, 9...Qc7 and 9...Qb6, Black has to really know his stuff but should be OK with both, that is, even with the latter (which doesn't have such a good reputation).
Slow Slav 4.e3 Bg4 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Nh4 [D12]
Although the continuation of Bosiocic, M - Saric, I involves one of the main lines, it doesn't seem to be that worrying for Black. Maybe the reason is that Black has an extra tempo over a typical sequence in the 4...Bf5 variation. After 13.0-0-0 there are several ways to obtain something reasonable, but Saric's choice of 13...a5!? seems quite dynamic as this tends to get things moving on the wing where White's king resides:
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In the game, despite the early exchange of queens, White's king was the more vulnerable one.
Slow Slav 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Be4, 10.cxd5 [D12]
One of the most challenging options occurred in Goganov, A - Bryakin, M. A plan recommended by Boris Avrukh was employed: White simplifies on d5 early (taking the sting out of certain plausible reactions) before tucking his king away on the queenside.
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The thinking here is that by keeping decent control of matters along the c-file, Black struggles to get much counterplay going, and then White can push his kingside pawns with no need to look over his shoulder to the left-hand flank. This scheme is certainly a cause of concern if Black just naïvely castles short, hence the choice in the game of 14...Kf8!? which turned out fine. An alternative way, which I also quite like, is 14...Rc8 15.Bd3 Nd7. White won a complicated game, but Black certainly had his share of chances.
Chebanenko Slav 4. Nc3 a6 5.g3 [D15]
In the encounter Salem, A - Antipov, M a surprising move was played early in the opening, after 6...Nbd7:
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Here 7.b3 is not just a novelty it's a whole new concept in such positions. Of course, when Black has already advanced with ...b5, then this line-clearing option is often employed. In the featured game however, with Black's queenside not yet potentially compromised there isn't a particularly easy follow-up for White but, on the other hand, it was hard work for Black to complete his development without giving his opponent some targets. A fascinating struggle ensued, but I'm still not sure if this new idea offers full compensation. We'll need additional examples to give us a better picture.
Slav Geller Gambit 6.Be2 [D15]
I don't know if you would agree, but I get the impression that Carlsen is playing more and more aggressively in the opening these days. The choice of the Geller Gambit in Carlsen, M - Yu Yangyi being a good example.
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In the old days, 6.e5 was de rigeur, but now 6.Be2 is the big test. The Chinese GM took up the gauntlet and replied with the principled 6...b4, but then instead of 7.Na4 (where White has been doing quite well) the World Champion came up with 7.e5 (where it's Black who, up to now, has been chalking up the wins). I'm not sure if this was just a one-off, but the weapon of surprise worked a treat as the Norwegian wizard dominated proceedings. There are possible improvements on moves eight or nine and a sure-fire one on move sixteen, but my bet is that Carlsen won't play this way again.
Glenn Flear
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