Black’s Pawn Storm in the Exchange Slav

I covered the Slav Exchange structure in my Exchange Slav - Strategy and Tactics ebook, but here are a couple of fresh examples I’d like to bring up to illustrate some ideas in this structure.

Rusev, K. - Ni Hua
XXIV Rapid   2009.07.25 , D14

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Bf5 7. e3 e6 8. Qb3 Bb4 9. Bb5 O-O 10. O-O Bxc3 11. Qxc3 Rc8 12. Rfc1 Ne4 13. Qa3

13. ... g5

The remoteness of white heavy pieces from the kingside allows Black to begin the hunt for the white bishop.

14. Bg3 f6 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. Qxa7 h5 17. h4 g4 18. Nh2 Nxg3 19. fxg3 Qd6 20. Nf1 Ra8 21. Qc5 Qxc5 22. Rxc5 Rfb8

Black's initiative persists into the endgame while the White's extra pawn is not very useful at this point.

23. Rxc6 Rxb2 24. e4 Bxe4 25. Ne3 Raxa2 26. Rac1 Kf7 27. Rc8 Rb1 28. Rc7+ Kg6 29. Rxb1 Bxb1 30. Rc6 Bf5 31. Rc8 Re2 32. Nxf5 Kxf5 33. Rh8 Kg6 34. Rg8+ Kf7 35. Rh8 Rd2 36. Rxh5 Kg7 0-1

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Aleksandr Rakhmanov - Dmitry Jakovenko
13th European Individual Championship   2012.03.22 , D14

1. c4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Bf5 7. e3 e6 8. Bb5 Nd7 9. Qb3 Be7 10. O-O

10. ... g5

It turns out that White just castled into a full blown pawn storm on the kingside.

11. Bg3 h5 12. h3 g4

13. hxg4 hxg4 14. Nd2 Kf8 15. Rfc1 Kg7

Black has connected the heavy pieces by getting the king out of the way, and the doubling of queen and rook along the h file is a serious threat now.

16. Ne2 Rc8 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. Qb7 Rh7 19. Bf4 c5 20. e4

After intense complications the game was eventually drawn.

20. ... dxe4 21. Nxe4 e5 22. N4g3 Be6 23. Bxe5+ Nxe5 24. dxe5 Bg5 25. Rd1 Qb6 26. Qe4 Qb4 27. Qxb4 cxb4 28. Nd4 Bd7 29. Nf3 gxf3 30. Rxd7 Bf4 31. e6 Kg6 32. e7 Bxg3 33. fxg3 Rc2 34. gxf3 Re2 35. Rd2 Rxe7 36. Rc1 f6 37. Kg2 Rd7 38. Re2 Rhe7 39. Rxe7 Rxe7 40. Kf2 Rh7 41. Kg2 Rd7 42. Rc2 b3 43. axb3 Rd3 44. Rc3 Rd2+ 45. Kh3 Rxb2 46. Kg4 Rd2 47. f4 Rd4 48. Kh4 a5 49. Rf3 a4 50. bxa4 Rxa4 51. g4 Ra1 52. f5+ Kh6 53. Rh3 Kg7 54. Rb3 Ra7 55. Kh5 Rc7 56. Rb6 Ra7 57. Rc6 Rb7 58. Ra6 Rc7 59. Re6 Ra7 60. g5 fxg5 61. Kxg5 Ra1 62. Re7+ Kf8 63. Kf6 Rf1 64. Ra7 Kg8 65. Ra8+ Kh7 66. Ra2 Kg8 67. Ra8+ Kh7 68. Rf8 Ra1 69. Rf7+ Kg8 70. Re7 Rf1 71. Re5 Kf8 72. Ra5 Kg8 73. Ra8+ 1/2-1/2