Slav Defence

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6

The Queen's Gambit answered with ...c6 instead of ...e6: d5 is supported and your light bishop is still free to come out. No bad bishop, no cramp, one simple structure against everything White tries.

Spar this opening

Your setup

Knightf6
Bishopf5 / g4
Knightd7 / c6
Bishope7 / b4 / d6
Pawnsc6 e6
CastleO-O

Bf5 or Bg4 before e6. Bishop out before ...e6, or you've locked it in and built a Queen's Gambit Declined with extra steps.

Ideas

...c6 supports d5 and frees the bishop

The QGD's ...e6 shuts the c8-bishop in. ...c6 does the same job and leaves it free.

Everything in the Slav follows from this: you can take on c4 later and get the bishop to f5 or g4 with a healthy structure.

Take on c4 when both white knights are out

After Nf3 and Nc3, ...dxc4 forces a4, then ...Bf5 — bishop out, White has spent a move on a4.

Taking too early lets White regain the pawn with e3/Bxc4 and no cost. After Nc3, White must stop ...b5 with a4 — a move that develops nothing.

Don't cling to the pawn with ...b5

After a4, ...b5?? drops material: axb5 cxb5 Nxb5. Give the pawn back and enjoy free development.

The Slav cheerfully returns the c4-pawn; what you keep is the developed bishop and the sound structure. Holding the pawn opens the a-file onto your rook.

Against cxd5: mirror, and get the bishop out

...cxd5, ...Nf6, ...Nc6, and the bishop to f5 before ...e6. Answer Qb3 with ...Bb4.

The Exchange Slav is symmetrical and equal. The only trick is Qb3 hitting b7 and d5 — with the bishop already on f5, ...Bb4 pins the knight and everything holds.

Qb3 hits b7 — don't panic

If Qb3 comes before your bishop is out, ...Qb6 or ...Qc7 defends; if the bishop is already on f5, ...Bb4.

Qb3 attacks b7 (left loose when the bishop leaves c8) and d5. It looks scary and isn't: one calm move covers both.

When the book runs out

Finish: ...e6, ...Be7 or ...Bb4, ...O-O, ...Nbd7. Then free the game with ...c5 or ...e5.

You have no weaknesses and an active bishop. Complete development, castle, and hit back in the centre when your pieces are ready.

The structure

The Slav main line: bishop out on f5, ...e6 behind it, ...Bb4 pinning the knight. No bad bishop anywhere.

Traps

Holding the pawn with ...b5 (don't do this)

d4 d5 c4 c6 Nf3 Nf6 Nc3 dxc4 a4 b5 axb5 cxb5 Nxb5

The tell: You've taken on c4 and White plays a4.

...b5 looks like it keeps the pawn. Instead axb5 cxb5 Nxb5 wins it back with interest and the a-file opens onto your rook. Just play ...Bf5.

Model games

Main line (4...dxc4)

d4 d5 c4 c6 Nf3 Nf6 Nc3 dxc4 a4 Bf5 e3 e6 Bxc4 Bb4

Take on c4 once both knights are out, develop the bishop to f5 after a4, then ...e6 and ...Bb4.

Exchange Variation

d4 d5 c4 c6 cxd5 cxd5 Nc3 Nf6 Nf3 Nc6 Bf4

Symmetrical: mirror White's development and get the bishop to f5 before ...e6.

How the coach grades a move

Every move you play gets one of six grades, from the engine’s view of the position, with the book’s verdict taking over when it is harsher. The sentence beside it is always the reason. Tap it for what the move did, why this opening wants it, and whether anything was better.

Best: Nothing better was available.
Good: Within a few percent of best. Noise at this depth.
Playable: A small real gap. The better move is named, play goes on.
Inaccuracy: Seven to twelve points of winning chances. The game stops to show you.
Mistake: Twelve or more, or a move the book warns against, or a broken order rule.
Blunder: Twenty-five or more. Usually material.

Catalogued as D10–D19 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, the reference index most databases sort by.