The Open Slav Defence is a logical and straightforward setup for Black against d4 c4 and can easily be learned. Black brings his queenside bishop quickly into the game and avoids that it will be locked in.
Study the following straightforward and logical approach.
The Open Slav:
1. d2-d4 d7-d5 2. c2-c4 c7-c6 3. Sg1-f3 Sg8-f6 4. Sb1-c3
(Attention: Don’t play now 4. .. Lc8-f5? as this will be refuted by 5.c4xd5 cxd5 6. Dd1-b3 b7-b6 7. e2-e4!)
4….d5xc4 5.a2-a4 (to stop 5…b5) Lc8-f5 6.e2-e3 e7-e6 7.Lf1xc4 Lf8-b4 8.0-0
White has just a small space advantage.
See Diagram below and memorize how Black moves
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6
3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4
5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6
7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 0-0
This is a simple setup and all your pieces are out in the open and working well. Study the games below and try to understand how this set up is played after the opening is finished.
Don’t castle too early
Black can develop his queenside knight first and wait with castling and castle queenside later on!
Replay Chess Games with the Open Slav
Flip Board: Press F-Key (or click e7 or d2 on top) Select a game: Click on grey bar
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