Move order as white against the Chebanenko Slav? - Chess and Board Game Strategy

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Move order as white against the Chebanenko Slav?

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01-06-2013 , 06:01 PM

TexAg06

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Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2,475

What would y'all recommend as white against the Chebanenko Slav? This opening has been giving me lots of trouble lately. In the following diagram, 5.c5, 5.e3, 5.a4, and 5.cxd5 are all popular options played by 2600+ players.

So far I've been playing 5.e3 but am not really enjoying the resulting positions. 5.a4 seems pretty sharp from the games I've looked at. What about 5.c5? Seems pretty natural given the weakening of the b6 square.

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01-06-2013 , 11:34 PM

Alpha 5.20

grinder

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 518

There is also 5.g3, Kramnik destroyed McShane in London with it recently.
Personally I like to play 5.c5 Nbd7 6.Bf4, there are a few great games by Topalov in this line that you can check out.

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01-07-2013 , 04:57 AM

Do it Right

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3,890

As white I used to mostly play the 5. c5 lines, but after playing the Chebanenko a bit myself I found the move I struggled most against was 5. a4. So I tried it as white and it turns out I'm apparently not the only one who struggles against it!

Objectively I think 5. c5 has to be more critical, but black's play in those lines is very natural and easy.

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01-07-2013 , 08:59 AM

TexAg06

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Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2,475

Thank y'all for the help. I think I might give 5.a4 a shot, that move seems to be the most popular as of late. It has been played by Carlsen and Topalov, to name a couple, so it must be pretty dang good.

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01-07-2013 , 01:21 PM

Montrealcorp

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 13,356

i used played this line a lot with a4 for white , gives an easy confortabe game for white imo

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01-07-2013 , 10:56 PM

Sholar

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 6,357

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexAg06

Recommended by Kaufman's repertoire book, too.

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01-08-2013 , 09:48 AM

TexAg06

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Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 2,475

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sholar

Recommended by Kaufman's repertoire book, too.

It's settled

5.a4 it is. Y'all are very convincing.

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01-08-2013 , 10:16 AM

Noir_Desir

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Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,333

i hate 5. a4 for general reasons, it just feels like an ordinary QGD where i have played a stupid move for no reason other than black played a6. Unfortunately i cannot offer any better line either.

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