I use to play the Semi-Slav but had issues with the whtie squared bishop as you alluded to. Your old colleague Jonathan Schrantz had a really nice series on the STL Chess Club youtube years ago that is still up. Worth watching for those interested in learning more
Wow! As a beginner I enjoy your lectures on past games Ben. So far my favourites are Karpov's games (cool, calm, collected). But based on this first game you talk about I've created a spreadsheet to keep memory of my favourite games. I enjoyed the immense tension in the first game and the bishop in the last game. Not an opening for a beginner to attempt.
Um, no the semi-slav is a fantastic beginner opening. (As is its white counterpart, the Colle-Koltanowski.) It's one of the best lower level responses to d4. The disadvantage in the opening (the bishop) is a longer term disadvantage that lower to mid level players are rarely able to exploit.
The Semi-Slav is all about piece activity, at least in the games you present. I always thought that for the Bc8 to be bad, the position had to be mostly blocked off. These games show that the rest of the board can be wide open, as long as there's pawns on c6-b5. I would've liked to see a game where white manages to get black in a bind. Svidler almost had one, but Karjakin struggled mightily to break out and Svidler had to play actively to keep the advantage.
![The TRAPPIEST Chess Opening Ever! [Top 10 Traps]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_pYCIQ9ON5U/mqdefault.jpg)
very nice lecture with the focus on a single piece. this structure helps players like me who can't count well beyond one (piece up)
Venerus was very generous.
Much more so than Ellen DeGeneres.
May he not ever be penniless.
Venerous? I hardly knew ‘er
I use to play the Semi-Slav but had issues with the whtie squared bishop as you alluded to. Your old colleague Jonathan Schrantz had a really nice series on the STL Chess Club youtube years ago that is still up. Worth watching for those interested in learning more
Wow! As a beginner I enjoy your lectures on past games Ben. So far my favourites are Karpov's games (cool, calm, collected). But based on this first game you talk about I've created a spreadsheet to keep memory of my favourite games. I enjoyed the immense tension in the first game and the bishop in the last game. Not an opening for a beginner to attempt.
Um, no the semi-slav is a fantastic beginner opening. (As is its white counterpart, the Colle-Koltanowski.) It's one of the best lower level responses to d4. The disadvantage in the opening (the bishop) is a longer term disadvantage that lower to mid level players are rarely able to exploit.
Ben Finegold sounds like a Water Buaffalo with all his sounds he makes! RAWR!
I watch water buffalos religiously!
I think I've learned something, but I probably forget it before the next game I play.
Thanks, Ben! Hopefully this lecture will help me out when I play a related opening, the Semi-Blunder Slav.
So, the white squared bishop for black is either very good or VERY bad... Just like my games 🥲
Bd6 is inaccurate because white gets his center pawns rolling with e4, e5? 6:45
Excellent, thank you!!
A nice idea for a lecture is the Ekstrom Variation in the Botvinnik Semislav for White, recomended in Ben's Chessable course.
great stuff, never played the semi but I like the setup
too many mates..! 😓
threatening the knight.. but not really.🤫
(That Anand game was so good)
The Semi-Slav is all about piece activity, at least in the games you present.
I always thought that for the Bc8 to be bad, the position had to be mostly blocked off. These games show that the rest of the board can be wide open, as long as there's pawns on c6-b5.
I would've liked to see a game where white manages to get black in a bind. Svidler almost had one, but Karjakin struggled mightily to break out and Svidler had to play actively to keep the advantage.
Hail, Venerus! But remain in that place 😜
If you want to play the slav here you play bf5 here instead of e6 4:13
28:30 ke7 looks legal