Play the Semi-Slav David Vigorito Quality Chess qualitychessbooks.com First edition 2008 by Quality Chess UK LLP Copyright © 2008 David Vigorito All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. ISBN 978-9185779017 All sales or enquiries should be directed to Quality Chess UK LLP, 20 Balvie Road, Milngavie, Glasgow G62 7TA, United Kingdom e-mail:
[email protected] website: www.qualitychessbooks.com Distributed in US and Canada by SCB Distributors, Gardena, California www.scbdistributors.com Edited by John Shaw & Jacob Aagaard Typeset: Colin McNab Cover Design: Vjatseslav Tsekatovski Cover Photo: Ari Ziegler Printed in Estonia by Tallinna Raamatutrükikoja LLC CONTENTS Bibliography 4 Introduction 5 Symbols 10 Part I – The Moscow Variation 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 ¤f6 4.¤c3 e6 5.¥g5 h6 1. Main Lines with 7.e3 13 2. Early Deviations 7.£b3; 7.£c2; 7.g3 29 3. The Anti-Moscow Gambit 6.¥h4 41 Part II – The Botvinnik Variation 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 ¤f6 4.¤c3 e6 5.¥g5 dxc4 4. Main Line 16.¦b1 63 5. Main Line 16.¤a4 79 6. White Plays 9.exf6 95 7. Early Deviations 6.e4 b5 7.a4; 6.a4; 6.e3 105 Part III – The Meran Variation 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 ¤f6 4.¤c3 e6 5.e3 ¤bd7 6.¥d3 dxc4 7.¥xc4 b5 8.