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1. d4
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Here's a fun, and I think instructive, example of attack and the initiative in the Slav. |
 
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1... d5 2. Nf3 c6 3. e3
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A little sketchy, but the game inevitably transposes. The weakness of e3 is not so much the blocking in of the c1 bishop (though it is often useful to develop this piece to g5 after ..Nf6 and ...e6), but its inflexibility. In a sense, it gives Black unnecessary information about White's setup. Even if White intends this move eventually, he shouldn't play it so early. Instead, he ought to retain flexibility by playing the obvious 3.c4, keeping his setup unclear and thereby restricting Black's options somewhat more. |
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3... Nf6 4. c4
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The game transposes to a Slav "Declined" Defense in the QGD. In this variation, Black plays an early ...Bf5, developing the c8 "problem" bishop outside of the pawn chain before solidifying with ...e6.
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4... Bf5
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A fine move, developing the bishop actively before closing the pawn chain. It is worth noting, however, that Black's plan locks the bishop out of the queenside. White's modus operandi in this Slav variation is to exploit this with active play on the queenside.
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5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4
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This patzer-looking move (attempting to trap Black's bad bishop) is actually a main idea for White. It turns out that Black's bad bishop is in fact quite active, hitting the b1/c2/d3 diagonal and greatly disrupting White's queenside plans.
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6... Bg4
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This active move has fallen out of favor, as White's reply is disruptive, and g4 is not an ideal square for the Black bishop.
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7. Qb3 b6
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Developing the queen in defense of b7, either with ...Qc7 or the simplifying ...Qb6, is much more common. The text weakens the c6 square, but it remains unclear how White can exploit this.
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8. h3
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Hunting the bishop. Even though Black's g4 piece isn't so annoying now, White still has the issue of the "dim" Nh4. The best solution is to force a trade....in doing so, White also gains the bishop pair.
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8... Bh5 9. cxd5
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A necessary prelude to queenside play along the c-file. White can delay this move if he likes, but here he gives priority to developing the f1 bishop on the queenside (instead of the more common g4 and Bg2 plan).
Alternative variation: [More direct is] 9. g4 Bg6 ([ perhaps even better is] 9... Ne4 [intending] 10. Nxe4 Qxh4 [with rough equality ]) 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Bg2 [when White retains a slight advantage]
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9... cxd5
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This move is slightly worse than the two alternative captures. Given Black's unhappy state of development, it is probably not wise to create a fully open c-file, as White will likely seize it first. On the plus side, though, Black does liquidate his potentially weak c6 pawn. This is a fair accomplishment, of course, but the c6 square remains weak and now White attacks it directly.
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10. Bb5+
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An interesting idea. Again, more common is g4 followed by Nxg6 and Bg2, but White's plan is not typical. He will tie up Black on the queenside for as long as possible and play the advance g4 (with g5 if Black plays 10...Nbd7), intending to force the Black knights onto awkward squares and open up the game favorably.
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10... Nbd7 11. g4 Bg6 12. g5 Ne4 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. d5
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The point of White's plan: 15.d5 opens up the board for White's 2 bishops, when Black's king is in an uneasy position and Black's f8 bishop does not have an easy time of development. Of course, just because White has accomplished his plan does not mean that Black is without resources, or that White's offbeat try is really a good idea in this position. As we will see, Black's position contains a latent energy that White cannot fully account for with his 2 developed pieces.
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15... a6
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A solid reply. Black cannot develop safely without addressing the annoying pin against the d7 knight. Here, Black gains time in development should White continue the pin via Bc6 (something like Be2 is clearly a victory for Black, who can develop easily).
Alternative variation: [Not] 15... Qxg5 16. dxe6 fxe6 17. Qxe6 [when White is winning.]
Alternative variation: [ Keeping the center closed via] 15... e5 [is too dangerous, e.g.] 16. Qa4 Bd6 17. Bd2 [and Black's king is stuck defending the pinned knight while White has a free hand to mobilize in attack.]
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16. Bc6
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Alternative variation: [Much worse is] 16. Be2 Nc5 $1 [when White is thrown on the defensive.]
Alternative variation: [Also bad is the liquidating] 16. dxe6 axb5 17. exd7 Qxd7 [as Black's pieces will now develop to active positions while White has a horrible-looking bishop on c1 and a very weak pawn on g5.]
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16... Rc8 17. Qa4
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An interesting idea, initiating a double-attack on e4 and a6. Such moves are vital for White, as Black is slowly gaining the initiative on the queenside.
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17... exd5 18. Bxd5 Qxg5 19. Qxe4+ Be7
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Material equality has been re-established, and Black's position looks a little better. His bishop is very active on e7, his knight has a great c5 outpost and a potential home on e4 that Black can fight for, the c8 rook owns the c-file, the g5 queen is quite active, and after ..0-0 Black's king is safe. White, meanwhile, has 2 bishops in an open position (as he intended), but his c1 bishop is quite bad (and hard to develop - b3 and Bb2 will be too slow, given ..Bf6) and his king must be content on e2. Since, given time, White can probably coordinate his pieces and sterilize Black's advantages, Black must play actively.
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20. Bd2 Rh4
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A very strong idea. After 20...0-0 the Black position is solid, but Black reasons that the h-file ought to be useful and his king looks reasonably safe on e8 (and after ..Kf8, he's even safer). Certainly this is a sharp continuation, as any Black slip will allow White direct counterplay against the stranded king, but after this move Black is very active and highly coordinated along the dark squares. This is significant, as White's bad bishop cannot help in defense along the dark squares, giving Black the clear upper hand.
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21. f4
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The only active reply, though a weakening one. The game is getting very sharp.
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21... Qg3+
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This seemingly logical move is actually the key mistake for Black. The Black queen is offside on g6, while White's king reaches the light-squared safety of e2 and connects his rooks. Nevertheless, Black reasons that he can win the h3 pawn and thus "cashes out" his attack by grabbing a pawn. This is a common theme in attack - the attacker often must choose between grabbing material at the cost of the initiative or ignoring it and continuing to pressure his opponent (hoping to create even more weaknesses). In this case, White gains a powerful light-squared counterattack for the pawn...in other words, White has more than enough compensation.
Alternative variation: [After the counter-attacking ...Nc5!?, both sides complete their development in earnest when Black has a solid position but must prove himself against the active White bishops.] 21... Nc5 22. Qc4 Qf6 23. Bc3 Qf5 24. Rd1 Kf8
Alternative variation: [The best try for Black is actually] 21... Qf5 [as a White exchange allows Black to contest the a1-h8 diagonal and gain a powerful outpost on e4. If White declines the queen trade, Black has an active queen and gains time.] 22. Qxf5 (22. Qf3 Qd3 23. Be4 Qb5 24. Bc3 Bb4) 22... gxf5 23. Bc3 Bf6
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22. Ke2 Rxh3 23. Rxh3 Qxh3 24. Rh1
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Gaining time and exploiting the precarious position of the Black king.
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