Smyslov_Fan:

Do you know if there are any ways for white to play the Slav (and/or Semi-Slav) without having to go through a ton of theory?  Are there any anti- systems that white can go into after the first few moves in a mainline slav which are less theoretical, other than the exchange Slav?

I am under the impression that the exchange Slav is extremely drawish, at least from the statistics it has in several databases.  I think it was usually about 20% white 20% black and 60% draw.

I am under the impression, however, that the exchange variation 1. c4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. cxd5 is still pretty good for white.  However, this is just from looking at the statistics, again, so I'm not sure if this is accurate.

____

EDIT:

Also, I the main problem I see with going into a Reti right now is that black can try to grab white's c pawn (as in the Reti Pawngrab post, or similar variations).

In any case, what do you guys think of lines like this:

1. c4 e6  2. Nf3 d5  3. b3 --> and possibly following up with a double fianchetto.

or

1. c4 c6  2. Nf3 d5  3. b3

Do lines like this still preserve the first-move advantage for white?

While I agree that from the White perspective, playing 2.d4 against 1...e6 or c6 is probably best, from the Black perspective I see it as a small victory.  When I see 1.c4 I wonder if the opponent has an original or obscure idea that he wants to try out.  If I play 1...c6 or 1...e6, I am almost hoping for White to play into the QGD/Slav lines and usually that person is not as comfortable in some of the lines I've prepared.

For instance, as Black after 1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 the most common move that I face is the Exchange, usually because White doesn't want to go down the long theoretical and messy lines of the Slav or Semi-Slav.  If the player had started with 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6, even though we reach the same position, White seems more willing to test critical lines.

All this isn't as true at the very highest levels, but move order is so important from a psychological perspective that players should carefully consider how they want to play against the Slav as White before they play 1.c4.  They may be pleasantly surprised if they avoid the Exchange Variation!

Scholar wrote on 08/26/06 at 04:24:30:


1...c6 doesnt necessary rule out the indian systems.... c6 fits well with especially the Old Indian but also the Kings Indian defence.

This move order might trick white out of his normal repertouar

bob000,

I've played the line you mention (Bd3 f5, exf5 Bxg2) by accident and on purpose in blitz games.  White's attack is amazingly strong in blitz, and I've never really studied it.  My experience (again, against relatively low rated players online) is that since it wins with fairly simple intuitive moves by White maybe Black is the one that has to be precise not to lose quickly.

Scholar,

Thanks for the reference to the French thread.  Since I'm there most of the time now for some reason, I should have looked at that for any reference to his games!


(I still haven't installed any chess-related programs on my computer other than Blitzin.   I know that as soon as I do, I'll spend hours playing and analysing various positions.)

Dinomike100 wrote on 08/25/06 at 04:26:30:


I think that White's best is to transpose to a queen's gambit -- actually, after I came to this belief I switched from the English to 1.d4, so you're probably better off asking someone else.  My recollection is that some of White's most aggressive options in the Reti seemed to lead nowhere, and Kosten's otherwise excellent book didn't convince me either.

Quote:


Yes -- I think that there might be some discussion of this in one of the French threads, as I came across his games while looking into this anti-French.  It appears that some of his opponents began to prepare for him, since he plays this way at every opportunity, and often they would get the upper hand out of the opening.

Viking,


I'm not familiar with GM Miezis.  I'll have to go through chessbase and find out more about him.  Thanks for the added information.  Still, one GM out of a thousand still constitiutes "very, very few" in my book.

After 1.c4 c6 White can strive for a Réti with 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 Nf6 4.g3.
So he can after 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3.
After 1.c4 a setup with d3 and e4 has been played, eg Hansen-Ehlvest, Biel 1993.
No, S_F, I don't feel like giving further lines either.

Since asking the question, I have actually started using the English opening as white.  So this is sort of off topic, I guess, but what would you guys say is white's best try against the English defense ( 1. c4 b6).  Is it 2. d4 or are there other decent options? 

Also: does white have any decent setups against 1. ...c6 or 1. ...e6 that don't involve transposing to some sort of queen's gambit declined?