On the 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Bf4 note: I was unable to find anything for white while writing "Play 1.Nf3!". I ended up investigating other paths.

Btw, if you are playing someone who is beholden to the Avrukh repertoire, there's a nice move order you could employ.

Avrukh recommends Be2 against the Schlechter-Slav, and Bd3 against the Chebanenko move order (4...a6). 

So, if you know your opponent only plays Avrukh's lines, you could play 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 a6! 5.Bd3 g6!

Avrukh doesn't even mention that position!

He implies that Black is equal after 4.e3 g6 5.Bd3, but for other reasons. 

Sorry to bump this old thread, but it's not clear if 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Bf4 is as good for White as previously thought. In a recent game in Chess Informant (Banikas-Skembris), Skembris thinks Black is okay after 6...Nc6 7.h3 Bg7 8.e3 0-0 9.Bd3 Qb6 10.a3 Na5, soon followed by ...Bd7 and bringing a rook to c8. Meanwhile there was a recent game, Le-Yu, where Black played 6...Bg7 7.e3 0-0 8.h3 Ne4 and went on to win. 

Perhaps 5.Bf4 Bg7 6.e3, delaying or even avoiding the exchange on d5, is a more accurate route to an edge?

Edit: ECO thinks Black is equal after 6...0-0 so maybe 5.Bg5 is a better option. I would think that trying to avoid a Grunfeld with 5...dxc4 gives White a better version of the Main Line Slav after 6.a4 Bf5 7.e3.

Smyslov_Fan wrote on 09/11/08 at 13:40:53:


e3 is the most common move even when the bishop can move outside the pawn chain. For example, after

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 g6, 5. e3 is most common and played more often as the ELO increases. It probably has something to do with dxc4 - although cxd5 prevents this idea. Thus, even in the e3 variations GMs don't like Black so much. I'm not sure why.

Actually, Black usually abstains from g6 until White has committed to e3. The move order is quite important because both theory and practice have shown that White is fine if Black plays g6 while White can still develop his light squared bishop outside the pawn chain.

However, once e3 is played, the g6 Slav has proven to be an excellent, if slightly stodgy defensive weapon for Black.

Being slightly stodgy myself, I really like the Schlechter Slav against an early e3.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 g6 does not have a good reputation. White has had excellent results with both 5.cxd5 cxd6 5.Bf4 and 5.Bf4.

This is called the "Schlechter Variation," is it not?  If I'm not mistaken it usually arises from 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 and sooner or later ...g6.  Or did you mean a similar system with White's QB out?