Why would someone play the QGD instead of the Slav?
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Forum topics, much like stand-up comedy, is better when the specific question or complaint can be specifically answered, yet also generalized and made more relatable.
Nov 22, 2019
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#23
SpiderUnicorn wrote:
Guys, play both the QGD and the Slav. They are both great openings.
They are not any "Greater" than any other "Normal" defense to 1.d4.
As Kasparov once said: "All openings are sound, all normal openings that is"
QGD? Slav? I Pass! Give me the KID all day, any day, with an occasional Dutch thrown on for good measure!
I have been studying this same topic. I like being able to put my knight on C6 when playing as black, so the Slav seems cool at first glance. However, being able to move the dark squared bishop out and prepare for castling also seems like a good idea.
But I think the real difference might be what other pieces your opponent is moving and which direction your queen might want to go in. That would decide which pawn you move out of its way diagonally.
Nidhibng wrote:
While both the QGD and the Slav offer solid defenses, the QGD is esteemed for its classical heritage and rich strategic nuances. Players may choose the QGD for its historical significance and diverse positional complexities despite its comparative subtleties.
Both are great defenses... The QGD has a lot fire in it.
a Iot of people see GMs play 5 Bf4 and think those position are simpler to play than say the Orthodox or the Tartakower... not actually... all about the same ... i.e. very complex and full of ideas.
The QGD is safer than the Slav. Even though the Slav is very safe it allows white more space and things can get hectic if white can get some kind of phalanx going. The LSB freedom is supposed to be the hero of the Slav, yet like in the Caro it often gets hunted around and awkward again anyway. You'll have to know the pawn structures of the Slav well and how to respond to the various white tries while it's a little more straightforward and less tricky with the QGD. The Slav makes up for it in more attacking chances, which isn't saying a lot as some of the long, "pure" traditional QGD lines are something like 83% or some ridiculous level of draw like that.