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Queens Gambit Declined vs Slav/Semi Slav
(sh.itjust.works)
For black, between QGD and Slav/Semi-slav, which do you prefer and why? I am trying to understand what is appealing on both sides and why you make the tradeoff of potentially blocking in the your light square bishop. Personally, I respond with the Nimzo Indian as black, and when playing as white I hope for QGA or Catalan.
I'm no expert on these options for black, but I play QG as white and see this position all the time. QGD seems so cramped for black, but when I see black play Slav, it (anecdotally, and at my level) seems to work out better for me. It feels like it forces a lot of development on the Queen's side first for both, which is what I want to do in QG anyway.
Thanks for your reply. It is difficult to account for move order and transpositions but i feel like i see the slav response about 50% of the time. Until i study it more, im often opting to exchange the central pawns and then just develop my pieces as white. Unlike in other pawn exchange openings like the French exchange or Caro kann exchange, i feel like for whatever reason it doesnt dry out too badly. If i stopped playing the Nimzo Indian i feel like i would opt for the slav but only after closing the pawn structure after getting my bishop out. Because i don't play this as black, I'm not sure if I'd try to hang onto that bishop once its out and prone to attack or try to keep it in the game, i don't think its worth the time trying to make space for it to retreat. Meanwhile when i used to play QGD it felt too cramped and i never felt like i had the tempi to devote to trying to fianchetto the light square bishop.
You know, I keep hearing about the Nimzo Indian, but I've never looked it up. You may have just given me my next defense to study!