Semi-Slav Defense: Moscow Variation

The Moscow Variation of the Semi-Slav Defense is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6. Black asks the bishop at once, and White exchanges it instead of keeping the pin. The play is very different from the sharp Botvinnik Variation and the Anti-Moscow Gambit.

The idea

Black has the bishop pair, which gives good long-term chances, but the position is solid yet passive at first, so Black must avoid opening it too early against White's better development and central control. Alexei Dreev, for example, has played the line successfully as Black.

7.e3 Nd7

Play might continue 7.e3 Nd7 8.Bd3 dxc4, since White was threatening e3–e4–e5, 9.Bxc4 g6 10.O-O Bg7. White can then expand on the queenside with 11.b4 O-O 12.a4, or push in the centre with 11.e4 e5 12.d5 Nb6 13.Bb3 Bg4, as in Carlsen–Karjakin, 2009. Black can give White doubled pawns there, but White seems to get a lot of play against Black's weak c-pawn.

7...g6

Black can also play 7...g6 at once, which makes White's typical plan of e3–e4–e5 less attractive. In Kramnik–Topalov, 2014 Candidates, White chose 8.Bd3 Bg7 9.O-O O-O 10.Ne5: Black cannot easily challenge the knight with ...f6 because of the weakened kingside pawns, and after 10...c5 11.cxd5 cxd4 12.exd4 exd5 13.Re1 Be6 14.Bb5 White secured a good position.

The numbers

On Lichess White wins 48.7% of the 109,646 games and Black 43.7%, with 7.6% drawn.