Today we are going to be taking a look at the most quiet continuation black normally plays against the 5. Bg5 semi-slav (1. d4 d5, 2. C4 c6, 3. Nf3 Nf6, 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 or in any other order). The move we will analyze today, looking at it from both sides, is 5…Nbd7. This line can lead to the more popular and active Cambridge springs with 6…Qa5, or simple solidity with 6…Be7. For the ideas of this line check out part 1, the link is above!
5…Nbd7 6.cxd5
We will not really delve into this line any but just to say I think white gets a good version of the QGD with his bishop outside the pawn chain. To really get a better understanding of the opening we will need to go into QGD more so than this series can allow, so for now I will just be looking at 6.e3 which is the most popular continuation and maybe slightly more combative. Maybe sometime in the future if I get enough demand, we might could jump into the thick waters of the queen’s gambit declined proper.
5…Nbd7 6.e3 Be7
Ok so at the end there the idea was white got a space advantage in the center thanks to that quote bad doubled pawn on e5, and has a great steed on e4. Black will be able to play c5 (finally!) and should be equal. I like white however though because of the nice knight. Of course black has the two bishops which might help in an endgame.
With Qa5, black basically decides he wants activity and pressure with his solid position. It’d be nice, but white has the resources to fend off the pressure and get a nice game. However it has been played many times and if black knows what he is doing and white doesn’t, white could easily get a winning position. However, I can say I have been on the black side of the Cambridge springs, and have found it mostly unpleasant. However I was not well prepared so that may explain my not so great positions I got. So I’d suggest if you want to play this from black’s side, READ UP! You don’t want to get into these position without a compass and map.
I think in summation black can get some good positions, but he needs to be careful. On the other hand white gets good positions and as we saw in one line, he can get an attack if willing to sacrifice a pawn. Again, however, if black knows what he is doing, I think he will be doing fine.
Clearly cxd5 for white has its potential ups and downs, and I like the lines a bit for white, but 7.Nd2 is the more chosen line. I am not sure why exactly, but my guess is, black needs to be a bit more accurate to equalize than after cxd5. Let’s take a look at it.
This is a classic position of isolated pawn, white has the space edge and piece developmental edge, but d4 is in need of defense. Black will attack it and try to use the flanks of the board to attack the center and the kingside. I prefer white here, but that is because of a temporary advantage in development and I like playing more active positions. If you like more solid positions, which is probably why you played Nbd7 in the first place :0, you might enjoy this position as black.:)
Next week we will begin taking a look at the more active positions black can try for with h6. And then a week later, dxc4. Again, this line with 6…Nbd7 was for those of you like solidity. However, for the most part this opening is craziness and fun, so till next week!
Click here to read part 1 first!
Today we are going to be taking a look at the most quiet continuation black normally plays against the 5. Bg5 semi-slav (1. d4 d5, 2. C4 c6, 3. Nf3 Nf6, 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 or in any other order). The move we will analyze today, looking at it from both sides, is 5…Nbd7. This line can lead to the more popular and active Cambridge springs with 6…Qa5, or simple solidity with 6…Be7. For the ideas of this line check out part 1, the link is above!
5…Nbd7 6.cxd5
We will not really delve into this line any but just to say I think white gets a good version of the QGD with his bishop outside the pawn chain. To really get a better understanding of the opening we will need to go into QGD more so than this series can allow, so for now I will just be looking at 6.e3 which is the most popular continuation and maybe slightly more combative. Maybe sometime in the future if I get enough demand, we might could jump into the thick waters of the queen’s gambit declined proper.
5…Nbd7 6.e3 Be7
Ok so at the end there the idea was white got a space advantage in the center thanks to that quote bad doubled pawn on e5, and has a great steed on e4. Black will be able to play c5 (finally!) and should be equal. I like white however though because of the nice knight. Of course black has the two bishops which might help in an endgame.
5…Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7. cxd5 (Cambridge Springs Variation)
With Qa5, black basically decides he wants activity and pressure with his solid position. It’d be nice, but white has the resources to fend off the pressure and get a nice game. However it has been played many times and if black knows what he is doing and white doesn’t, white could easily get a winning position. However, I can say I have been on the black side of the Cambridge springs, and have found it mostly unpleasant. However I was not well prepared so that may explain my not so great positions I got. So I’d suggest if you want to play this from black’s side, READ UP! You don’t want to get into these position without a compass and map.
I think in summation black can get some good positions, but he needs to be careful. On the other hand white gets good positions and as we saw in one line, he can get an attack if willing to sacrifice a pawn. Again, however, if black knows what he is doing, I think he will be doing fine.
5…Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7. Nd2 (Mainline Cambridge Springs)
Clearly cxd5 for white has its potential ups and downs, and I like the lines a bit for white, but 7.Nd2 is the more chosen line. I am not sure why exactly, but my guess is, black needs to be a bit more accurate to equalize than after cxd5. Let’s take a look at it.
This is a classic position of isolated pawn, white has the space edge and piece developmental edge, but d4 is in need of defense. Black will attack it and try to use the flanks of the board to attack the center and the kingside. I prefer white here, but that is because of a temporary advantage in development and I like playing more active positions. If you like more solid positions, which is probably why you played Nbd7 in the first place :0, you might enjoy this position as black.:)
Next week we will begin taking a look at the more active positions black can try for with h6. And then a week later, dxc4. Again, this line with 6…Nbd7 was for those of you like solidity. However, for the most part this opening is craziness and fun, so till next week!
Thanks for reading and commenting!
J. Rasberry