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4...b5 in the Slav

cuneglas

#1 Oct 26, 2012

I played this OTB game which got quite awkward when Black held on to the c4 pawn and ended up with two passed queenside pawns.

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 c6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 b5 5.a4

My pieces were completely tied down blockading these passed pawns.

Any ideas on how to combat this line?
ghostofmaroczy

#2 Oct 26, 2012

I would play 4 a4 in anticipation of that ...b5 idea. rdecredico is right, this is like a bad QGA by black.
plutonia

#3 Oct 26, 2012

I don't see what the problem is, white is more than fine in that position.

You can easily recover your pawn and destroy blacks'.
temp_ddg

#4 Oct 26, 2012

Maybe this game can give you some idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4bM5t2u7E&list=SPC8BC58A6FAA17F2D&index=3&feature=plpp_video

Commented by IM David Pruess from chess.com. It's not about the slav defense, but about a game where the black plays the variation that you mention here.
plutonia

#5 Oct 26, 2012

^ no. In the game you linked white has the N on c3. This makes a world of difference because black in that case can push his b pawn and gain a tempo. In that case black's pawn become a pain in the butt, in fact I play it as black.

In the position of the OP the N is on his home square, so white can regain his pawn easily.
IM pfren

#6 Oct 26, 2012

White is already better in the diagram position- where's the problem?
cuneglas

#7 Oct 26, 2012

I was thrown off by Black's confidence in playing these moves. I won eventually, but felt I made a meal of it. I was also thrown by the fact that Black had two connected passed pawns, with one already on b4.

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4...b5 in the Slav

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