The Semi-Slav Defense (1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 nf3 Nf6 Nc3 c6) has been one of Black's most reliable defenses to the queen's pawn since the 1920s, having withstood decades of scrutiny at the highest level. Nowadays it is very popular at grandmaster level (it is used regularly by such imaginative players as Shirov and Kramnik) as well as with club and tournament players. In this book, Grandmaster Matthew Sadler explains the strategy and tactics of this dynamic opening. Through the use of model games for both sides, the author provides a thorough grounding in the key ideas so readers can quickly and confidently start to use the Semi-Slav in their own games.