I've only gone lightly through Graham Burgess' book on the Slav. However, as with many other of Burgess' efforts, this one will surely become the leading source on the opening. The reader should at least know about its existence and how the book breaks down.

"Slav" here refers to the entire opening after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6, with the important exception of the Semi-Slav (in which Black follows with the moves ...e6 and normally ...Nf6). The latter opening was covered by Steffen Pedersen in two volumes. Burgess spends more than half of the book (132 pages) on such variations as the Exchange Slav, the fashionable ...a6 systems, and unique orders with 3.Nc3. He builds towards the traditional main line of the Slav: 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4, to which about 100 pages are devoted.

I have only looked at a couple of variations. We have a minor disagreement about one of the Geller Gambit (5.e4 in place of 5.a4) lines, but that is hardly relevant, since as Burgess demonstrates, the whole gambit has fallen into disrepute for good reasons. I also looked at 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5, a variation promoted by Kramnik and others and which I have some knowledge of. The relevant games and players' notes are fully represented and Burgess adds some good original analysis. I was very impressed by his treatment of the fairly obscure 6...e6 7.f3 c5!?, for example, which goes further than my own investigations a year or two back and clarifies the issues. In the main line with 6...e6 7.f3 Bb4 8.e4 Bxe4 9.fxe4 Nxe4 etc., I would probably assess a couple of the queen-and-rook endings differently; the reality, however, is that no one understands these positions except Kramnik!

I'm sure that someone more familiar with Slav theory than I would make a better critic of this book. Nonetheless, I'm also certain that Slav players with White or Black who want to keep up with the ever-changing theory of the opening will need to have this resource.

YOU CAN FIND THIS BOOK AT