Chess Opening Tutorial : Slav Defense

3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2

With 6...Bd6, instead of ...Be7, Black plays to bolster e5 and to retreat ...Bc7 if White pushes c4-c5. White has several good options.

• After the natural 7.Be2 O-O, White has 8.O-O, when 8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 transposes to the line we saw after 6.Bd3 Bd6. Another idea for Black is 8...Re8, pursuing the plan of ...e5. White can reply 9.Rd1 or 9.b3. White can also choose to develop the Queen's Bishop on the long diagonal with 8.b3. This puts no immediate pressure on Black, leaving several continuations: 8...b6, 8...e5, 8...dxc4, and 8...Re8.

  The position after 7.Bd3, followed by 7...O-O 8.O-O dxc4 9.Bxc4 is again the same as after 6.Bd3 Bd6, while 7.b3 followed by 7...O-O 8.Be2 is the same as 7.Be2 O-O 8.b3.
  
  

• A completely different idea is 7.g4, preparing to disturb the Knight on f6.. White is not sacrificing a Pawn, because if 7...Nxg4 then 8.Rg1. If 7...h6, then 8.Bd2 or 8.Rg1. Black can also play 7...dxc4 8.Bxc4 or 7...Bb4 to gain control of e4.

Instead of blocking the Bishop with 4...e6, which leads to the Semi-Slav variations, Black can leave the diagonal open for ...Bf5 or ...Bg4, which leads to the Slav variations.

Index: Chess Opening Tutorial : Slav Defense

1. Introduction
2. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3
3. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2
4. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4
5. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e3 (and 5.e4)
6. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6
7. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3
8. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bf4
9. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qc2 (and 4.Qb3)
10. 3.Nc3