Slav Defense: Modern Alapin, Krause & Wiesbaden Variations
Slav Defense
Definition
The Slav Defense is a solid reply to 1.d4 that begins 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6. Black supports the d5–pawn with the c-pawn instead of the e-pawn (as in the Queen’s Gambit Declined), creating a very resilient pawn chain while keeping the light-squared bishop free.
Typical Move-Orders
- Main Line: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5
- Semi-Slav set-up: …e6 is added, leading to positions akin to the Queen’s Gambit Declined but with c6 instead of c7.
- Czech Slav (…a6 & …e6) and Chebanenko (…a6) are popular sub-branches.
Strategic Significance
- Very reliable: Black’s structure is hard to crack and almost “bullet-proof” against minor inaccuracies.
- The light-squared bishop can be developed to f5 or g4 before …e6 is played — a key difference from many 1.d4 defences.
- Flexible: can transpose into the Semi-Slav, Queen’s Gambit Declined, or Catalan-type positions.
Historic Notes
The defence became fashionable in the 1920s after being refined by analysts in Prague and Moscow. It received a huge boost when Mikhail Botvinnik, Vassily Smyslov, and more recently Vladimir Kramnik and Magnus Carlsen adopted it in world-championship play.
Famous Example
Botvinnik–Keres, Candidates 1953, is the textbook illustration of White’s queenside minority attack against the Slav structure.
Interesting Facts
- The opening is named after “Slavic” players who popularised it, chiefly in Prague (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire).
- In the 2012 World Championship match, Gelfand surprised Anand with the ultra-solid 5…Bf5 line; the very next game Anand refuted Gelfand’s Grünfeld with a quick win!
Modern Defense
Definition
The Modern Defense (also known as the Robatsch Defense) is a hyper-modern system against 1.e4 that starts 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7. Black allows White to occupy the centre with pawns but plans to undermine it later with moves like …d6, …c5 or …e5.
Key Ideas
- Fianchetto the king’s bishop to g7.
- Delay developing the king’s knight to f6 (unlike the Pirc) so that …f5 or …e5 ideas remain flexible.
- Counter-attack the centre with pawn breaks …c5 or …e5.
Historical Context
Introduced into top-level play in the 1950s by Austrian GM Karl Robatsch, it fit perfectly with the rising hyper-modern school: concede space, then strike back.
Model Game
Kasparov – Miles, European Team Ch. 1980, illustrated the dynamic potential of the Modern when Black’s queen-side attack crashed through after a timely …c5 break.
Did You Know?
- Because the knight often enters via h6 instead of f6, club players dub the line the “Modern Hippopotamus” when combined with …d6, …e6, …Ne7, …h6.
- The defence has been tried by elite players as a surprise weapon; e.g. Carlsen used it versus Anand (WCh 2014, blitz side-event).
Alapin Variation (Sicilian)
Definition
The Alapin is an anti-Sicilian line beginning 1.e4 c5 2.c3. Named after Russian master Semyon Alapin (1856-1923), it sidelines the main Open Sicilian paths and aims for rapid central expansion with d4 under favorable circumstances.
Main Continuations
- 2…d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 — Black fights for the centre immediately.
- 2…Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 — White gains space; Black hopes to undermine later with …cxd4 and …d6.
- 2…e6 3.d4 d5 transposes to a French-type structure, often dubbed “French-Sicilian hybrid.”
Strategic Themes
- White: build a big pawn centre (e5/d4) and maintain it.
- Black: rapid piece play and pawn breaks (…d6, …e5, …cxd4).
Historic & Practical Significance
Popularised in the 1990s when GMs like Evgeny Sveshnikov and Sergei Tiviakov scored notable successes. Today it is a main-line weapon: Nepomniachtchi, Caruana and Carlsen all have it in their repertoire.
Illustrative Snippet
Anecdote
In the 2009 European Championship, Sergey Tiviakov achieved an unbeaten 110-game streak with White, often relying on the Alapin to avoid the preparation of his theoretically armed opponents.
Czech Variation (Benoni/Pirc)
Definition
“Czech Variation” usually refers to two distinct but related set-ups stemming from different openings:
- Czech Benoni: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5. Black opts for an ultra-solid, locked centre instead of the dynamic Modern Benoni …e6.
- Czech Pirc (or Czech Defence): 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6. Black builds a triangle of pawns on d6-c6-e5 (later) and develops the king’s bishop via …g6 or …e7.
Strategic Hallmarks
- Black accepts spatial inferiority to guarantee structural solidity.
- Typical plans: pawn breaks …b5 or …f5; manoeuvring pieces behind the pawn chain before striking.
- White enjoys more space and tries to open the position before Black finishes development.
Historical Note
The name comes from Czech masters (notably Karel Hromádka) who employed these cramped yet durable systems at the turn of the 20th century.
Sample Game
Havasi – Smeets, Gibraltar 2019, featured the Czech Benoni where Black’s kingside pawn storm with …f5 …g5 overturned White’s space advantage.
Krause Variation (Queen’s Gambit Declined)
Definition
Named after German master Paul Krause (1880-1968), the Krause Variation arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 h6 7.Bh4 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Rc1. The early Rc1 (instead of the more common 9.Qc2) is the Krause hallmark.
Purpose of 9.Rc1
- Supports c-pawn advances and prepares to recapture on c4 with the rook.
- Leaves the queen flexible (often going to c2, b3 or even a4).
Strategic Concepts
White delays committing the queen and sometimes castles queenside for a sharp pawn-storm. Black normally seeks liquidation with …Nxc3 and …dxc4 before White’s pieces coordinate.
Illustrative Miniature
Anecdote
The line regained prominence when Garry Kasparov used it as White versus Karpov in Linares 1993, obtaining a pleasant edge before the game was eventually drawn.
Wiesbaden Variation
Definition
An obscure but colourful branch most often associated with the King’s Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 (the normal main line) 5…h5 6.d4 d6 7.Bxf4. The early …h5-…d6 set-up was analysed in depth by German masters during a 1929 tournament in the spa-town of Wiesbaden, hence the name.
Key Ideas
- Black tries to keep the g4-pawn and clamp the kingside with …h5.
- White sacrifices time (and often a second pawn) for rapid development and central pressure.
Practical Status
Rarely seen in modern grand-master play but beloved by romantic attackers in blitz and correspondence chess.
Trivia
- An infamous 1930 correspondence game from Wiesbaden featured 12…Qxh2?? leading to a mate-in-two for White, a cautionary tale of over-optimism after snatching pawns.
- The line occasionally pops up in modern bullet streams where the mantra is “any pawn is a good pawn if you can hold it.”
Sharp Line
Definition
In chess jargon, a “sharp line” is any variation where the play becomes tactically volatile, material is often sacrificed, and precise move-orders matter greatly. Even a single inaccuracy can flip the evaluation.
Usage
- Commentators warn: “This is a very sharp line, both players must know their theory.”
- Opening manuals flag variations with an exclamation mark (!) and the adjective “sharp” to indicate high-risk, high-reward play.
Strategic Significance
Sharp lines are double-edged weapons — perfect for playing for a win but dangerous when you only need a draw. Preparation, memory and tactical skill are paramount.
Famous Examples of Sharp Lines
- Poisoned-Pawn Najdorf: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 — perhaps the archetypal sharp line.
- Botvinnik Semi-Slav: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 — both sides must navigate a minefield of theory that can stretch past move 40.
Anecdote
In “Kasparov vs. Deep Blue, 1997,” Kasparov deliberately avoided a sharp line of the Najdorf, fearing the computer’s tactical prowess — a historic illustration of how the sharpness of a line influences practical decisions at the highest level.