Slav Defense - Exchange Variation (3.cxd5)
White opens lines early with 3.cxd5, the Exchange Slav. You recapture cxd5, develop with Nf6, Nc6 and Bf5, then play e6 and trade bishops on d3 before castling. Watch the trap after 5.Bg5 Ne4 6.Nxe4 dxe4 7.e3 Qa5+, winning a piece. Aim for a plan with a6, Na5 and Rc8, trading rooks on the open c-file.
Let's learn the Exchange Variation! White trades on d5 to open this livelier-than-it-looks line. We recapture with our c-pawn, opening the c-file for our rook. Let's begin with 1.d4.
Learn this chapter freeMain line
Scroll the moves: the board follows.
Key lines
The free lines of this chapter, each one trainable move by move.
- Main Line
… 9. Qxd3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. a3 a6
- 4. Nf3
… 3... cxd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bf4 Nc6
- 4. Nf3
… 3... cxd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Bf5 7. e3 e6 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. a3 a6
- 4. Bf4
… 3... cxd5 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. e3 Nf6 6. Nc3 a6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. Be2 e6 9. O-O Bd6 10. Bxd6 Qxd6 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 O-O
- 5. Bf4
… 4... Nf6 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 a6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. Be2 e6 9. O-O Bd6 10. Bxd6 Qxd6 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 O-O
- 5. Bf4
… 4... Nf6 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 a6 7. Bd3 Bg4 8. Nge2 e6 9. O-O Bd6 10. f3 Bh5 11. Rc1 O-O
- 5. Bg5
… 4... Nf6 5. Bg5 Ne4 6. Nxe4 dxe4 7. Bd2 Qxd4 8. Qc2 Bd7
- Trap: 7.e3, you win a piece
… 4... Nf6 5. Bg5 Ne4 6. Nxe4 dxe4 7. e3 Qa5+ 8. Qd2 Qxg5 9. Rc1 Bd7
- 6. Bg5
… 5... Nc6 6. Bg5 Ne4 7. Bf4 e6 8. Nd2 g5 9. Be3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bd7
- 8. Bb5
… 7... e6 8. Bb5 Nd7 9. O-O Be7 10. Rc1 Rc8
- 8. Qb3
… 7... e6 8. Qb3 Bb4 9. Bb5 O-O 10. Bxc6 Bxc3+ 11. Qxc3 Rc8 12. Ne5 bxc6
Other chapters
Three Knights Variation (4.Nf3)
After 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4, meet 5...Bf5, 6.e3 e6 and develop with Bb4, O-O and Bg6, aiming for ...Qc7 to prep ...e5. You accept the bishop pair but get doubled g-pawns and a queenside majority.
19 linesEarly Bg5 (4.Bg5 dxc4)
White meets ...Nf6 with 4.Bg5, then often plays 6.a4, a mistake. Meet it with 6...b4, grab the pawn with 7...Nxe4, and push 8...b3. Trade on c3 with Nxc3, develop Be6, and hit White's weak pawns with Qa5.
17 linesEarly e3 Setup (3.e3, 4.e3)
After 4.e3, play 4...Bf5 and meet 5.Nf3 with 5...e6, offering a trade with 6...Bxd3 if given the chance. You aim for a solid, easy setup with your king safely castled.
8 linesEarly Bf4 (4.Bf4 dxc4)
White develops 4.Bf4, then tries 6.a4 to challenge your queenside after you play 5...b5. Castle, retreat your bishop to e7, then push b4 and bring your bishop to a6. Aim for a queenside pawn majority against White's isolated b2 pawn.
8 linesModern Line (3.Nf3)
White plays the Modern Line with 3.Nf3, then develops with 4.Nc3, eyeing your d5 pawn. You meet 1.d4 with ...d5 and 2.c4 with ...c6, so a pawn can recapture on d5 and hold the center. Aim for a solid Slav Defense structure with your center firmly supported.
10 lines
Learn Exchange Variation (3.cxd5) on the board
The trainer plays the opponent's moves and waits for yours, line by line. Free to start.
Learn this chapter free