Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

← chickentendie5 / Openings

Playing White · 16 rapid games · 7W 7L 2D · Your opponents choose this

Slav Defense

5.Bg5 in the Slav leaves your knight hanging on c3.

Score50%+2% vs your average
Win chance after move 1249%+1% vs your average
Blunders per game0.94same as your average
Clock left at move 109:25−13s vs your average
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Your most common line

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. Bg5

What it says about you

Your opponents choose the Slav, taking on c4 with ...dxc4, and you answer with 5.Bg5 rather than the usual 5.a4. It fits your love of the Bg5 pin, but it is not a principled choice against the Slav. You spend more time here than in any other opening (565s left at move 10), which suggests you are figuring it out at the board.

How you play it

You score 50.0% (7-7-2), on par with your overall 48.3%. You leave the opening slightly worse (48.6 at move 12) and fall to 42.3 by move 20. Games are short (35.1 moves), and 3 losses came from missing a tactic or only move. The Modern Three Knights Variation scores 75% over 4, while the Modern Two Knights Attack (40% over 5) and the Modern Line (37.5% over 4) are weaker.

Last 90 days: 2 games, 100% score.

What you're missing

  1. 01

    The ...b5 and ...b4 threat on your c3 knight. 9.Bxf6 lost a knight in a trade (49% down to 21%) when 9.Na2 was needed, because Black's queenside pawns were hitting the knight.

  2. 02

    Fork patterns. 16.dxe5 walked into a fork (39% down to 18%) when 16.Qxc3 was best.

  3. 03

    Bishop placement. 15.Bf4 instead of 15.Bg3 dropped you from 63% to 42%.

  4. 04

    Opponent combinations. 33.Qd6 missed a combination (50% down to 18%) when 33.Qd7 was best.

How to improve it

  1. 01

    Switch to 5.a4. It stops ...b5 and is the main line for a reason: after 5...Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.O-O you get a comfortable centre and easy development.

  2. 02

    If you want to keep the bishop active, consider 5.e3 b5 6.a4 b4 7.Na2. That leaves Black with weaknesses, rather than you with a stranded knight.

  3. 03

    When Black takes on c4 and plays ...b5, think about the queenside: a4 to undermine the pawns, and Na2 or Ne5 if the knight is attacked.

  4. 04

    Work through a few model games of the Slav with 5.a4, for example Kramnik's or Carlsen's, for how White wins back the c4 pawn.

Where it goes wrong

Your losses in this opening, by where and how the decisive mistake happened.

Phase of the decisive mistake

opening1n=1
middlegame3n=3
endgame1n=1

What the mistake was

Missed a tactic / only move3n=3
Outplayed gradually (no single big error)2n=2
Allowed a mating attack1n=1
Didn't see opponent's 2–3 move combination1n=1

Variations you reach

Modern Two Knights Attack540%
Modern Three Knights Variation475%
Modern Line438%

Winning positions converted here: 70% (7 of 10).

Recent mistakes in this opening

Your move in red, Stockfish's in black.

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Bad trade · 9:40 left
9. Bxf6? Best was Na2. 49% → 21%
vs cRaZy_nOoB051322 (2189) · 22-09-26 →
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Positional error · 8:31 left
15. Bf4? Best was Bg3. 63% → 42%
vs cRaZy_nOoB051322 (2189) · 22-09-26 →
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Walked into a fork · 8:24 left
16. dxe5? Best was Qxc3. 39% → 18%
vs cRaZy_nOoB051322 (2189) · 22-09-26 →
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Missed their combination · 1:53 left
33. Qd6? Best was Qd7. 50% → 18%
vs cRaZy_nOoB051322 (2189) · 22-09-26 →

Next steps

01

Play 5.a4 after ...dxc4

Replace 5.Bg5 with 5.a4 to stop ...b5. Your worst Slav mistakes came from ...b5 and ...b4 hitting your knight.

02

Prep the Two Knights Attack

40% over 5 games. Make sure you know the plans after Nc3 dxc4.

03

Check forks after captures

Before capturing in the centre, check whether the reply forks two pieces. 16.dxe5 cost 21 points.