Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...d5/2. c4/2...e6/3. Nc3/3...Nf6/4. Nf3/4...c6/5. Bg5

Semi-Slav Defence
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkb1r/pp3ppp/2p1pn2/3p2B1/2PP4/2N2N2/PP2PPPP/R2QKB1R b
Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6 5. Bg5
Parent: Queen's Gambit Declined

Semi-Slav Defence

5.Bg5

This super-sharp move is often today a true gambit. White intends to offer the c-pawn as a real sacrifice. Here Black can try the solid 5...Nbd7, which leads into the Queen's Gambit Declined (Cambridge Springs Variation), the sharp Botvinnik Variation (5...dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5! hxg5 10.Bxg5 with tremendous complications), or the even sharper main line, 5...h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5.

Theory table

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5

	5
Main line	... h6
Botvinnik Variation	... dxc4
Queen's Gambit Declined, Cambridge Springs Variation	... Nbd7

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References

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.