Semi-Slav Defense: Noteboom Variation, Abrahams Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code D31, part of the Semi-Slav Defense family. It goes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 b5 8. axb5 cxb5. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... d5. After 16 moves it is White to move. After the last move Black is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
2... e6 – Black plays the pawn to e6
3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
3... c6 – Black plays the pawn to c6
4. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
4... dxc4 – Black captures on c4 with the d-pawn
5. a4 – White plays the pawn to a4
5... Bb4 – Black plays the bishop to b4
6. e3 – White plays the pawn to e3
6... Bxc3+ – Black takes on c3 with the bishop, giving check
The line goes on for 4 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
About the Semi-Slav Defense
Black combines ...c6 and ...e6 against the Queen's Gambit, making a solid triangle around d5. Some lines, like the Meran and Botvinnik, are very sharp.
Black can take on c4 with ...dxc4 and hold the pawn with ...b5.
The freeing breaks are ...c5 and ...e5.
The c8 bishop often goes to b7 after ...b5 or ...b6.
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