An effective way of meeting the 6.Ne5-Slav

After the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5, 6.Ne5 is the second most frequently played move (after 6.e3) and is particularly popular among strong players. In his repertory suggestion, Danielsen recommends 6...Nbd7, and 7.Nxc4 should be followed by 7...Nb6 (instead of the classic 7...Qc7). After 8.Ne5 a5, an important starting position is on the board. White now has the alternatives 9.e3, 9.Bg5, 9.g3 and 9.f3, but as the top Chinese players Wang Yue, Bu Xingzhi and Ni Hua in particular have shown, Black can hold his own in each case.