Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit

The Anti-Moscow Gambit of the Semi-Slav Defense is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4. Instead of the calmer exchange 6.Bxf6, the Moscow Variation, White keeps the pin. Black can take and keep the c4-pawn, but White gets a lot of active play against Black's weakened pawn structure and exposed king.

The main line

Play typically continues 6...dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5. Black has held the pawn on c4, but the position is full of weaknesses. The game becomes very complicated, much like the Botvinnik Variation. The tempting 7.a4, to stop ...b5, is a mistake here: Black can play 7...b5 anyway, since 8.axb5 cxb5 9.Nxb5 Qb6 10.Na3 Qxb2 is very good for Black, or 7...Bb4 followed by ...b5.

White's plans

White attacks all over the board: h2–h4 on the kingside; Ne5 in the centre, opening the d1–h5 diagonal and looking for the break d4–d5; a2–a4 and b2–b3 on the queenside. Pushing e4–e5 is often a poor idea, as it blocks White's minor pieces. Black's king has no safe shelter, so mating threats are always in the air.

9.Be2 Bb7

White usually continues 9.Be2, and Black answers 9...Bb7, an important prophylactic move against d4–d5. After 10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 h5 12.O-O Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 White may keep a slight advantage. 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 leads to wild complications, including 12.Nxf7, a full piece sacrifice first seen in Topalov–Kramnik, 2008.

The numbers

On Lichess White wins 50.1% of the 268,796 games and Black 44.8%. White is well ahead below 1800, while from 1800 up the results are closer. Masters draw most of their games: in 10,031 games over the board 71.3% were drawn, White won 18.3% and Black 10.4%.