page 1 of 40; games 1-25 of 992  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. B Lasker vs Lasker ½-½ 43 1890 Berlin D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 2. Marshall vs Nimzowitsch   ½-½ 52 1911 Karlsbad D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 3. Rotlewi vs Alapin 0-1 20 1911 Karlsbad D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 4. B Kostic vs Nimzowitsch   ½-½ 45 1911 Karlsbad D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 5. Teichmann vs Alapin   ½-½ 29 1911 Karlsbad D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 6. Vidmar vs B Kostic   ½-½ 72 1911 Karlsbad D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 7. A Donegan vs S Von Freymann   0-1 30 1911 Cologne-A D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 8. Marshall vs W John   1-0 47 1914 DSB Kongress XIX D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 9. O Chajes vs B Kostic   ½-½ 54 1916 New York Rice prel D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 10. A Selezniev vs Breyer   1-0 58 1920 Goteborg D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 11. Alekhine vs Tartakower 0-1 31 1922 Bad Pistyan it, CZE D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 12. J Davidson vs W Schlage   ½-½ 51 1922 Match GER-NED D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 13. P Kruger vs O Antze   ½-½ 30 1922 22. DSB Kongress D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 14. S Sery vs Prokes   ½-½ 52 1923 Pardubice D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 15. H K Mattison vs Euwe 0-1 20 1924 Paris f-A ;HCL 33 D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 16. Carlos Torre vs S Mlotkowski 1-0 26 1924 Western op, USA D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 17. J Davidson vs Euwe   1-0 50 1924 Match D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 18. H Wagner vs A Becker   ½-½ 81 1924 Match D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 19. R Grau vs B H Villegas   1-0 29 1924 ARG-ch4 Mayor D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 20. H Muller vs Przepiorka   ½-½ 26 1924 Gyor D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 21. Przepiorka vs L Asztalos   ½-½ 19 1924 Gyor D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 22. Marshall vs H Helms   0-1 63 1925 New York D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 23. Dus Chotimirsky vs I Rabinovich   1-0 56 1925 URS-ch04 D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 24. Dus Chotimirsky vs A Kubbel   0-1 34 1925 URS-ch04 D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation 25. Gilg vs W Von Holzhausen   1-0 38 1926 DSV Kongress D13 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation  page 1 of 40; games 1-25 of 992    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)

Secrets of Opening Surprises

< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing > Dec-13-05    suenteus po 147: <KingG> I'm an unusual guy. My main opening as white is 1.f4. How's that for playing for the advantage as white? ;) Dec-13-05    alicefujimori: The Exchange Slav isn't that bad actually. There are some lines where play could be very interesting. (Like the lines where white doesn't play or delays Nf3.) However, I must admit that the Exchange Slav was one of the reasons why I switched from the Semi-Slav to the Grunfeld and KID. Just imagine you're playing a person lower-rated than you and doesn't mind to draw with you. You play 2...c6 and after 3...Nf6 he goes 4.cxd5. Ha! You just lost a potential half a point. Half a point means quite a bit in open/weekend tournaments by the way. Dec-13-05    KingG: <suenteus po 147> 1.f4 isn't that bad. It's actually quite underrated, and can be quite aggressive. Dec-13-05    KingG: <alicefujimori> Yes, the Exchange Slav is the big problem with the Semi-Slav. I have often though of giving it up because of this, but even the King's Indian has its dull lines, so i decided to stick with the S-S. In fact there are probably even more dull lines in the KID than the Semi-Slav. For example, when White plays dxe5 dxe5, Qxd1; or the fianchetto lines which i also find quite boring. Dec-13-05    Gypsy: To avoid x-slav, we can enter semi-slav via 2...e6, can't we? Dec-13-05    alicefujimori: <KingG>Very true indeed. The same goes to the Grunfeld where there are many drawish lines. That's why I ended up with 3 openings against 1.d4 in my repertoire.lol But I would still rather try to squeeze a win in the boring lines of the KID and Grunfeld than getting into the Exchange Slav. I think it is just my preference but I just hate that symmetrical position, in which I found it extremely difficult to get any piece play going. Well...I think I have nothing to blame but myself for hating the Nimzo-Indian.lol Dec-13-05    alicefujimori: <Gypsy> After 3.Nc3 d5 and now 4.Bg5 or 4.cxd5 transposing into the Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation. Not to mention that Semi-Slav players doesn't want to transpose into that, the lines where white hasn't played Nf3 in the Exchange Variation of the QGD tends to give Black some headaches. I would rather play an Exchange Slav than getting into the QGD Exchange where white has a slight advantage and keeps pushing me. Dec-13-05    Akavall: <KingG> and <alicefujimori> I agree with you about the dull lines. That's why I play the Chigorin. The dullest thing there is 1. d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bf4, but it's not all that bad. Dec-13-05    KingG: <alicefujimori> I agree with you about the reasons for not playing 2...e6. However, given the choice between a Exchange Slav and a QGD Exchange with the knight on Nf3, i would take the QGD. At least the position isn't symmetrical, and Black has some chances on the king-side. You can't force White to play a pure Semi-Slav, so you unfortunately you need to be able to play the QGD. Dec-14-05    Gypsy: <alicefujimori> This is my recommendation on how to head for the coveted semi-slav: If White is rated 200 points bellow, I'd use the othodox route 2...e6; if White player is rated 200 points above, however, I'd use the slavonic 2...c6. (Inbetween is a transition zone, a judgement call.) Dec-14-05    KingG: The way i head for the Semi-Slav is 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3/Nc3 d5. Apr-06-06    keypusher: Hard to imagine a less promising opening for White. But here are Botvinnik's games with it in the database (+6-0=3): http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... Apr-06-06    who: Sneaky's comment on Botvinnik vs Tal, 1961 is very important. It shows how the exchange slav can be played for a win. Apr-06-06    keypusher: Nice game! Botvinnik vs A Pomar-Salamanca, 1966 As is this one, which I found via <sneaky>'s comments to Botvinnik-Tal. Apr-06-07    gambitfan: Chess Opening of the Day 06/04/2007... This opening seems so boring! Too symmetrical in my taste... Should lead to a draw, shouldn't it ? Apr-06-07    whiskeyrebel: A draw? judging from books I've studied it's just not that simple. Symmetrical openings like this can break wide open at the eventual point in which the symmetry must be broken...leaving a jolly swathe of "fighting" guts and gore strewn across the board. Apr-13-07    micartouse: <judging from books I've studied it's just not that simple. > I totally agree. I just took up the Slav, and naturally many White players take comfort in cxd5. At first I was getting hammered, but I started realizing they were making serious mistakes and I wasn't responding properly. The Slav Exchange should be a fun, sharp game for either side with some practice. There are a couple variations with a lot of symmetry and exchanges, but usually this doesn't come up unless White really knows how to do it and wants to. May-26-07    tonsillolith: What accounts for the greater percentage of wins by Black for this opening in this database? Its not much but here is the first place I've seen with more wins for Black than White. The only possible reason I can think of is that weaker players tend to play it more against stronger players due to its drawish reputation. Is there any other explanation? May-06-08    KingG: <tonsillolith> It could be that some people play this under the impression that the worst result they can get is a draw, and then get a bit careless. May-06-08    RookFile: I think you're right, tonsillolith, it is a case of weaker players playing this against stronger players. There's nothing wrong with the system, of course, Reshevsky used to play this, but most players at the highest level don't play this way. Reshevsky vs Najdorf, 1953 May-06-08    Open Defence: <leaving a jolly swathe of "fighting" guts and gore strewn across the board.> eewwwwww Dec-04-08    Alphastar: I decided to try the slav for the first time in an OTB game last friday. My opponent played the exchange, I screwed up the whole game and lost badly. Probably my worst game of 2008. I'm never going to touch the slav again. Apr-05-09    Archswindler: <KingG: In fact there are probably even more dull lines in the KID than the Semi-Slav. For example, when White plays dxe5 dxe5, Qxd1; or the fianchetto lines which i also find quite boring.> The KID exchange isn't that bad. Black has a slight advantage. In the exchange slav, or exchange KID, black also has the psychological advantage of knowing that his opponent is a putrid coward. Apr-05-09    KingG: <Archswindler> I didn't play the KID back then and didn't really know what I was talking about. Now I would consider the Exchange KID to be much more interesting than the Exchange Slav. I wouldn't go as far as saying that Black is slightly better in the exchange. I think the position is equal, and if Black isn't careful he can be worse because of his hole on d4, but his early initative should give him enough for an equal game. I would never play it as White though, and I do think it's a pretty cowardly opening. Jun-29-09    refutor: i was mucking around with the opening explorer and if Black really doesn't want to play the Slav Exchange, it appears he can fairly easily transpose into the Grünfeld by playing ...g6 instead of ...e6 < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing >

NOTE: You need to pick a username and password to post a reply. Getting your account takes less than a minute, totally anonymous, and 100% free--plus, it entitles you to features otherwise unavailable. Pick your username now and join the chessgames community! If you already have an account, you should login now.

Please observe our posting guidelines: No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language. No spamming, advertising, or duplicating posts. No personal attacks against other users. Nothing in violation of United States law. See something which violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform an administrator. NOTE: Keep all discussion on the topic of this page. This forum is for this specific opening and nothing else. If you want to discuss chess in general, or this site, you might try the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.