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Refuting the Slav with f4!

Tha average slav player (me)...

Tha average slav player (me)...

Let's run it down. You want to enter an Exchange Slav, and after 3... cxd5, play Bf4. Many Black players will enter lines where they play Nc6, Nf6, and e6, followed by Bd6. The single most important thing for you is to avoid Nf3 for as long as possible, because when Black plays Bd6
Just that how do we form if black doesnt go bd6? i usually play Be7 lines as black

Let's run it down. You want to enter an Exchange Slav, and after 3... cxd5, play Bf4. Many Black players will enter lines where they play Nc6, Nf6, and e6, followed by Bd6. The single most important thing for you is to avoid Nf3 for as long as possible, because when Black plays Bd6 Just that how do we form if black doesnt go bd6? i usually play Be7 lines as black

@ZoomieCat said in #3:

Let's run it down. You want to enter an Exchange Slav, and after 3... cxd5, play Bf4. Many Black players will enter lines where they play Nc6, Nf6, and e6, followed by Bd6. The single most important thing for you is to avoid Nf3 for as long as possible, because when Black plays Bd6
Just that how do we form if black doesnt go bd6? i usually play Be7 lines as black

I just play the slav because I prefer defend center pawns with flank pawns

@ZoomieCat said in #3: > Let's run it down. You want to enter an Exchange Slav, and after 3... cxd5, play Bf4. Many Black players will enter lines where they play Nc6, Nf6, and e6, followed by Bd6. The single most important thing for you is to avoid Nf3 for as long as possible, because when Black plays Bd6 > Just that how do we form if black doesnt go bd6? i usually play Be7 lines as black I just play the slav because I prefer defend center pawns with flank pawns

@ZoomieCat said in #3:

Just that how do we form if black doesnt go bd6? i usually play Be7 lines as black

Be7 then castle allows white to develop Nf3 [with idea to get to e5 to exchange one pair of knights, and if this happens the pawn on e5 will control the f6 square which is key] and also sneak in alphazero style h4, the attack has begun and black doesnt even know it, queen to f3 is incoming with the idea to align with the black king, life is good for white

@ZoomieCat said in #3: > Just that how do we form if black doesnt go bd6? i usually play Be7 lines as black Be7 then castle allows white to develop Nf3 [with idea to get to e5 to exchange one pair of knights, and if this happens the pawn on e5 will control the f6 square which is key] and also sneak in alphazero style h4, the attack has begun and black doesnt even know it, queen to f3 is incoming with the idea to align with the black king, life is good for white

@ZoomieCat said in #3:

Just that how do we form if black doesnt go bd6? i usually play Be7 lines as black

H3-g4 and a kingside storm is how I'd respond. We kind of scrap the Stonewall in those scenarios where Black doesn't play into the f4 plan. The Be7 line is in my study on the Slav, too, which is linked on the blog. Good question!

I also have other sidelines you may have questions about in the said study, so most of your questions regarding plans might be answered there (unless they're not).

But in general, I've pretty much always played against Bd6 against the Slav in OTB tournaments. It's not guaranteed that Black plays like this (with Bd6), but it's quite common (in my games, at least).

@ZoomieCat said in #3: > Just that how do we form if black doesnt go bd6? i usually play Be7 lines as black H3-g4 and a kingside storm is how I'd respond. We kind of scrap the Stonewall in those scenarios where Black doesn't play into the f4 plan. The Be7 line is in my study on the Slav, too, which is linked on the blog. Good question! I also have other sidelines you may have questions about in the said study, so most of your questions regarding plans might be answered there (unless they're not). But in general, I've pretty much always played against Bd6 against the Slav in OTB tournaments. It's not guaranteed that Black plays like this (with Bd6), but it's quite common (in my games, at least).

H3-g4 and a kingside storm is how I'd respond.

makes sense but is a step too slow as the g5 threat is ultimately hollow - black can just go Nh5-g6 to stop kingside push, and either set up their own stonewall or push on queenside, white has more opportunity to open up a kingside file with h4

> H3-g4 and a kingside storm is how I'd respond. makes sense but is a step too slow as the g5 threat is ultimately hollow - black can just go Nh5-g6 to stop kingside push, and either set up their own stonewall or push on queenside, white has more opportunity to open up a kingside file with h4

Eventually, White will also play h4. I suggest h3 first to support the g4 pawn, but h4 is going to be a move in any kingside attack.

If Black doesn't castle kingside, White can still play O-O a) because Black can't do much to break the barrier (if h5, then g5-h4; if g5 and then h5, then we have time to play moves like a4 or Bg3 to improve because we have Rh1 and Black has no dominance long-term over the h-file; and any attacks with f5 will weaken Black more than White) and b) due to the unexploitability of this seemingly poor g4 push followed by a castle, White enjoys a solid spatial advantage.

Eventually, White will also play h4. I suggest h3 first to support the g4 pawn, but h4 is going to be a move in any kingside attack. If Black doesn't castle kingside, White can still play O-O a) because Black can't do much to break the barrier (if h5, then g5-h4; if g5 and then h5, then we have time to play moves like a4 or Bg3 to improve because we have Rh1 and Black has no dominance long-term over the h-file; and any attacks with f5 will weaken Black more than White) and b) due to the unexploitability of this seemingly poor g4 push followed by a castle, White enjoys a solid spatial advantage.

using the Exchange Slav with early Bf4 to trade dark-squared bishops and then go f4 Stonewall really does avoid the usual “bad bishop” and gives White strong kingside attacking chances seems interesting

using the Exchange Slav with early Bf4 to trade dark-squared bishops and then go f4 Stonewall really does avoid the usual “bad bishop” and gives White strong kingside attacking chances seems interesting

using the Exchange Slav with early Bf4 to trade dark-squared bishops

black can go into kings indian setup to avoid the trade and hope white pushes h4

> using the Exchange Slav with early Bf4 to trade dark-squared bishops black can go into kings indian setup to avoid the trade and hope white pushes h4