The Slav Defence is one of the most solid answers to the Queen's Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6. Black defends the centre with the c-pawn without shutting in his light-squared bishop. The main branches are gathered here: the main system with ...Bf5, the Semi-Slav and the Meran, and the Exchange Variation. At each branching point, choose which line to play.
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The starting position. Choose your moves - at a branching point several continuations are available.
The dimmed moves are the rest of the main line, and the dots mark branching points. Click any move to jump to that position.
The Slav solves the main problem of the Queen's Gambit Declined - the bad light-squared bishop. By defending the centre with 2...c6 rather than 2...e6, Black does not shut in the c8 bishop and in the main line gets it out to the active square f5.
The main idea is solidity without passivity. Black gets a sound pawn structure, healthy development and a good bishop, which makes the Slav one of the most reliable defences for Black at any level.
The opening has been the favourite weapon of many champions and is still the main theoretical battleground among the closed openings.
In the main system Black takes the pawn with 4...dxc4 and after 5.a4 develops the bishop with 5...Bf5 - that is the whole point of the Slav. A rich, level game arises in which Black has no weaknesses.
The Semi-Slav (4...e6) shuts in the bishop but leads to the razor-sharp Meran System with ...dxc4 and ...b5 - one of the most dynamic lines in the closed openings. The Exchange Variation 3.cxd5, by contrast, leads to symmetry and quiet, slightly drawish play.
The Slav solves the main problem of the Queen's Gambit Declined: the pawn goes to c6 rather than e6, and the c8 bishop stays free. That is exactly why the opening is so popular - Black gets a solid centre and a developed, rather than shut-in, position.
The main line: 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5. Black takes the pawn and immediately develops the bishop to an active diagonal while White spends a tempo on a4 against ...b5. Then come ...e6, ...Bb4 and ...0-0, and the position is healthy.
The second route is the Semi-Slav with 4...e6: Black does shut in the bishop, but in return gets razor-sharp play in the Meran with the ...b5 and ...c5 breaks. The choice for those playing for a fight rather than equality.
Three approaches work against the Slav. The quiet one is 4.e3: White shores up the centre and simply develops, settling for a positional game with no forcing lines. The main one is 4.Nc3, intending to meet 4...dxc4 with 5.a4 and deny Black the ...b5 plan of holding the pawn.
If you want a simplified game, take the Exchange Variation 3.cxd5 cxd5. The position is symmetrical and looks drawish, but White has an extra tempo and a clear plan: Nc3, Bf4, e3, Bd3 and pressure on the c-file. In practical games it scores more often than you would think.
The main thing not to do is let Black anchor the c4 pawn unopposed with ...b5. Hence the early a4 or e4 in most systems.
The typical set-ups this opening leads to - learn them, and the plan follows by itself.
After 4...dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4. The great virtue of the Slav: the light-squared bishop is developed to f5 before ...e6, and Black has no weaknesses.
After 4...e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5. Black seizes space on the queenside and unfolds razor-sharp counterplay.
After 3.cxd5 cxd5 the structure is symmetrical. It has a drawish reputation, but there is play here too - either side can fight for an edge.
These are the main named variations. Click any one of them and it loads straight onto the board above, where you can play it out move by move. The trainer itself holds more lines than this: it also covers main-line continuations and transpositions that have no name of their own.
What to avoid, and what catches an unprepared opponent.
The whole point of the Slav is to develop the c8 bishop to f5 BEFORE ...e6. Play ...e6 too early (as in the French) and the bishop stays bad, shut in by its own pawns.
Having taken the pawn with 4...dxc4, do not cling to it: after a4 you usually cannot hold it with ...b5 without creating weaknesses. More often the pawn is returned neatly while you finish developing.
In the Exchange Variation White plays b4-b5 to leave Black with a weak pawn on c6 or d5. Do not ignore that plan - prepare counterplay in the centre or on the kingside in advance.
Traps in other openings - the 12 most common opening traps.
Take a short quiz and find out which chess opening suits your MBTI personality type - 16 types, each with its own opening and a walkthrough on the board.
The key is the light-squared bishop. In the classical Queen's Gambit Declined (2...e6) it is shut in by the e6 pawn, while in the Slav (2...c6) Black gets it out to the active square f5. That is why the Slav is often considered healthier.
It is the sharp line of the Semi-Slav: 4...e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5. Black seizes queenside space and gets active counterplay. One of the most dynamic and theory-heavy schemes in the closed openings.
In the Slav Black develops the bishop to f5 before ...e6 (the great advantage). In the Semi-Slav he plays ...e6, shutting the bishop in, but gets sharp Meran counterplay in return. Two different treatments of the same idea with the c6 pawn.
Yes. It is solid, logical and more forgiving of inaccuracies than the sharp openings. The main idea - develop the bishop to f5 and stand firm in the centre - is easy to remember, which is why the Slav is often recommended as a reliable answer to 1.d4.
Want the tactics that decide these positions? Start with the 12 most common opening traps and tactics for beginners. If you are just starting out, read the rules of chess and how to set up the board.
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