Another recommendation for the a6 Slav and also for Bologan's dvd. In your repertoire listing, after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 a6 is better, as recommended by Bologan.
If you played 1.c4, you'd then be playing my repertoire !

VitolinishBoom wrote on 09/21/13 at 22:58:57:


The Slav really is tempting me, but the problem is that I don't want to give away my light squared bishop for a white knight, and it seems that in most line it's what's going to happen.

After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 I have 4 moves :
- 4 ... e6 : is a Semi-Slav, not a Slav
- 4 ... a6 : looks a little passive and makes black's pawn structure differ from the Caro-Kahn's pawn structure
- 4 ... g6 : not sure I like that move too much, and it also makes black's pawn structure differ from the Caro-Kahn pawn structure
4 ... Bf5 : was the move I initially wanted to play, but it runs in 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 and white has an advantage (1-0 62% of the time, 1/2-1/2 25% of the time, 0-1 13% of the time), and then the best move is 6 ... Bc8 which just looks like admitting that 4 ... Bf5 was a mistake, and I would never make a humiliating retreat like that)

After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 I have 5 moves :
- 4 ... e6 : which is a Semi-Slav, not a Slav
- 4 ... Bf5 : it's the move I instinctively want to play, but after 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 I loose my bishop, and I can't play 5. Nc3 h6 because of 6. Qb3 leading to doubled isolated pawns for black (and the only thing I hate more than loosing one of my bishops for a knight is to get ridiculous doubled isolated pawns...)
- 4 ... a6 : I have no idea about that move, but it makes black's pawn structure differ from the Caro-Kahn's pawn structure
- 4 ... Bg4 : not sure but it seems that in most variation I'll end up losing my bishop
- 4 ... g6 : again not sure I like that move too much, and it also makes black's pawn structure differ from the Caro-Kahn pawn structure

And finally after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 I have 5 moves :
- 4 ... e6 : which is a Semi-Slav, not a Slav
- 4 ... dxc4 : not sure, but firstly I don't like to give up a center pawn for a c-pawn like that, and after  5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 I'm not sure if my light squared bishop will survive or if it will just get exchanged for a knight
- 4 ... a6 : not sure, but it sometimes makes black's pawn structure differ from the Caro-Kahn's pawn structure
- 4 ... g6 : again not sure I like that move too much, and it also makes black's pawn structure differ from the Caro-Kahn pawn structure
- 4 ... Bf5 : again I would like to play that move but I can't because of  5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 with a big advantage for white (1-0 73% of the time, 1/2-1/2 17% of the time, 0-1 10% of the time)

So which lines should I play in order to prevent the loose of my light squared bishop without getting a big disadvantage (and if possible also keeping a pawn structure similar to the Caro-Kahn's pawn structure) ?


Keano wrote on 09/22/13 at 05:52:23:
No, actually I hate the Nimzo because I prefer bishops over knights. But I love playing the white side of a Nimzo.

As a 1.d4 & Caro player, I'd recommend the Slav. With the Semi-Slav there's the Botvinnik & Moscow, which might be the kind of craziness you're seeking to avoid.  I feel the same way about the Benoni, but the Semi-Slav has the better reputation.  The Czech Benoni may not be so bad but fianchettoing my knight is odd. Joking aside, I think the positions are too cramped and a good positional player can slowly crush you.

The Slav has some similar pawn structures & themes to the Caro (the Bf5 getting hunted down), but it's also solid. There's a fair bit of theory, but certainly less, I think, than the KID, Grunfeld or Semi-Slav. Good luck with your decision.