Grandmaster Ruslan Scherbakov presents an opening system for Black based on the Semi-Slav Triangle - an ambitious way to fight the ever-popular Queen's Gambit. Black's weapons include the Noteboom Variation - a dynamic counterattack which takes White out of his comfort zone and offers Black the chance to dictate the game from the outset. Scherbakov also examines options for Black against the aggressive Semi-Slav Marshall Gambit, as well as White's quieter tries such as the Exchange Variation, various defences of the c4-pawn and the Catalan approach. Scherbakov has over 20 years of experience studying and playing these opening variations, which have been tried and tested successfully at grandmaster level and are ideally designed for players who want to challenge White in the opening.

• Written by a renowned Semi-Slav Triangle expert
• Packed with new ideas and critical analysis
• Explains typical plans and tactics for both sides

Ruslan Scherbakov is a Grandmaster and a former Russian Junior Champion. He has more than 20 years of training experience, has worked with many leading young players and since 2005 has been coaching Olympic and two-time European Champion Kateryna Lahno. He is a renowned opening theoretician and a regular columnist at chesspublishing. com

content:
005 Bibliography

006 Introduction

009Part One: The Noteboom Variation
012 1) 5 e4

025 2) 5 Bg5

037 3) White Plays an Early g2-g3

054 4) 5 a4 Bb4: Various Deviations

071 5) On the Road to the Main Line

080 6) 8 axb5: Introduction and 11 d5

101 7) Approaching the Main Line

107 8) The Main Line with Qc2

138 9) The Main Line with 15 Nd2

161 10) The Main Line with 15 Re1

194Part Two: The Marshall Gambit
196 11) 4...Bb4 and Other Deviations

211 12) 4...dxe4 5 Nxe4 Bb4+ 6 Bd2 Qxd4 7 Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8 Ne2

226 13) 8 Be2: Various 8th Moves

237 14) 8 Be2 c5

248 15) 8 Be2 Na6 9 Bd6

268 16) 8 Be2 Na6 9 Bc3

282 17) 8 Be2 Na6 9 Ba5!?

328Part Three: Anti-Triangle Systems
329 18) The Triangle Stonewall

355 19) 3 Nf3 c6 4 Nbd2

363 20) 3 Nf3 c6 4 Qc2

391 21) 3 Nf3 c6 4 Qb3

426 22) White doesn't Protect c4

442 Index of Variations