CHESS EXPLAINED: THE MERAN SEMI-SLAV
Author: Reinaldo Vera
Gambit (2007)
111 pages
$23.95

Reviewed by Jeremy Silman

The excellent CHESS EXPLAINED series by Gambit has previously featured studies on THE QUEEN'S INDIAN (by Peter Wells), THE ENGLISH OPENING (by Zenon Franco), THE c3 SICILIAN (by Sam Collins), THE CLASSICAL SICILIAN by Alex Yermolinsky, and THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN by James Rizzitano). All were 111 or 112 pages (except THE QUEEN'S INDIAN by Wells, which broke all records with 123 pages), and each and every one of these books was excellent.

Though slim, each book gives the latest in opening theory, lots of verbal explanations, and strives to leave you with not only a solid theoretical base, but also a good deal of understanding about the particular opening in question.

The latest in this series, THE MERAN SEMI-SLAV by Cuban Grandmaster Reinaldo Vera, keeps up this list of successes with a very clear and readable treatise on one of Black's most dynamic and popular openings. Just how popular is the Meran? I personally find that when I play 3 to 5 minute games against anyone on the ICC rated 1900 to 2500, the vast majority meet my 1.d4 with the Benko Gambit or 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 (the Semi-Slav). It's clear that players are drawn to these systems because they both offer clear and effective plans and a fluid development. And, of course, both give real chances to play for a win with Black.

GM Vera uses up to the minute examples and really puts his finger on the pulse of each and every variation. However, where he really excels is in his verbal explanation of the plans and ideas. Here's an example in the ultra-sharp Reynolds Attack (I'll leave out his comments until the 13th move): 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.d5 c4 11.dxe6 fxe6 12.Bc2 Qc7! 13.0-0 Bc5!?
"This line has given me excellent practical results. It has also been employed by such great players as Shirov, Korneev, Bareev, etc. The main idea is simple: to castle kingside and develop pressure on the f-file and in particular on the f2-square. On the other hand, leaving the bishop on c8 for the moment means that the e6-pawn is defended indirectly. Its main disadvantage is that the development of the bishop to c5 does nothing to control the e5-square." [Vera then shows how white can make use of black's lax control over e5 by considering such moves as 14.e5!? (a dangerous pawn sacrifice that probably doesn't offer more than equality) and 14.Qe2, intending to follow with e4-e5.].

The book is filled with instructive explanation like this. Here's another example of Vera's clear and extremely useful prose (after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.0-0 a6 10.e4 c5 11.d5 Qc7 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Bc2 c4):
"This is the main position of the Reynolds Attack. The plans for White combine two basic ideas: attack on the e6-square and mobilization of his central majority with e5, or f4 and e5.
Black for his part has quite active pieces and good squares for them. The c4-pawn cramps White somewhat and the possibility of castling on either wing gives great flexibility to his position. Taking into account these factors, we can suggest some moves for White such as 14.Nd4 which was played in our main game, and others such as 14.Ng5 and 14.Qe2. However, the moves 14.Re1? (weakening f2) and 14.Bg5 do not pose any problems for Black and can be answered with 14 Bc5 followed by 0-0."

This kind of dissection of a position can be found in every chapter, and at times it goes far, far deeper than our previous two examples: (after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4 11.Nxb5 axb5 12.exf6 gxf6) "This capture brings about one of the most popular positions in the Meran. Let us examine its static features and the possibilities for both sides. First, Black has an extra pawn. Curiously, White can regain it immediately with 13.Nxd4 (of course, not with 13.Bxb5?? because of 13 Qa5+), but as we shall see later, this is not the best way.
"Black's pawn structure is very damaged on both wings, which implies that the best place for his king is on e8, protected by the central pawn-mass. Hence the rooks will have difficulty in coordinating, but both can find employment on opposite wings: from g8, one puts pressure on g2 and often makes it way to the center and the queenside via g5-d5, while the other Rook remains on its original square (a8) to restrain possible advances of White's queenside majority, or else moves to d8, where it supports the passed pawn on d4."

I could have gone on since he continues with this explanation for another half page!

This book is a must buy for anyone (1500 to 2300) playing either side of the Meran Semi-Slav. It maps out all the variations, explains the ideas in some depth, and leaves you feeling like you actually know what's going on in this complicated opening. More detailed/advanced books on the Meran can be purchased if you feel the need to expand your explorations, but for those that want to firm grasp of the ins and outs of this system, you can't do better than CHESS EXPLAINED: THE MERAN SEMI-SLAV.

Click to buy (or get more information about):

CHESS EXPLAINED: THE MERAN SEMI SLAV

CHESS EXPLAINED: QUEENS INDIAN by Peter Wells ($18.95)

CHESS EXPLAINED: THE ENGLISH OPENING by Zenon Franco ($18.95)

CHESS EXPLAINED: THE c3 SICILIAN by Sam Collins ($18.95)

CHESS EXPLAINED: THE TAIMANOV SICILIAN by James Rizzitano ($18.95)

CHESS EXPLAINED: THE CLASSICAL SICILIAN by Alex Yermolinsky ($18.95)

STARTING OUT: SLAV & SEMI-SLAV by Flear ($23.95)

THE SLAV by Graham Burgess ($22.95)

MERAN SYSTEM by Pedersen ($21.95)

THE BOTVINNIK SEMI-SLAV by Pedersen ($21.95)

THE ...a6 SLAV by Glenn Flear ($19.95)