Hey guys, those of you who play Queen's pawn openings, I was wondering what lines you'd recommend against the Dutch defense and or semi-slav. These are two openings I'm having trouble against right now. Especially the Dutch ... I like some of the early g4 lines proposed in Chris Ward's book, but many Dutch players (and rightly so) play e6 first (Maybe it'll be a Nimzo!) then on 2. c4 ... f5 those lines are out of the question.

Well, it dodges more than the early g4 lines, not in the least the Staunton Gambit. I don't mind playing those with black so I'd be playing 1. ... f5.

In my experiences with the Dutch Defense, I've always found the Fianchetto systems the toughest to crack. You set up with g3, Bg2, Nf3, O-O... Problem, as with any Dutch line, is black can choose his setup as well. Ne4, c5-Nc6, c6, d5, d6-Bd7/Nbd7, b6-Bb7, all sorts of things going on and I've just about played them all.

As for the Semi-Slav, I'm no expert on the white side of d-pawn openings (I don't play them), but a friend of mine plays this line religiously: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 (etc.). In blitz games he uses 6. Nc3!? as surprise after 5. ... Bb4+

Against the dutch I have had good success with 2.Bg5 though I have had even better success with just the kingside fianchetto line. I'm pretty sure that I won all of those and I had one draw with the Bg5 line and several wins.

Against the semi-slav if you don't want to work that hard and just want to torture black the exchange variation works. If you want tactics the Marshall Gambit works as does the wild and crazy Botvinnik variation. I think the Marshall Gambit would be good for someone who doesn't want to learn 37 moves of theory.

One caveat is that this is based on what I knew 11 years ago without any knowledge of what has transpired since.

Crash

I do not have any experience with the Semi-Duch.
However I played a lot of games with white against the Duch Defence.
I think it is very helpful to look up in a database how the GM's deal with this opening.I did it and in my opinion the kingside-fianchetto is one of the best possibilities to play for a win.

Against both the Dutch or 1. ... e6, I respond with 2. e4, heading for the Staunton Gambit or French, respectively. But I never play 2. c4 as white, so I'm probably not the best person to ask about typical Queen's Pawn type positions. I just start with 1. d4 to head for the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3).

--Fromper

Looked at the Botvinnik semi-slav the other night. You weren't kidding when you said it's wild and crazy ... WOW!

B.

I think I'd use the term 'utterly insane'. Played it myself (with black) I think 6 times and won all games because my opponent slipped before I did. The Frankenstein-Dracula in the Vienna (or Bishop's Opening) is another example of this kind of chess...
Masters still play that Slav line to trick eachother..