counter to 1.d4

My chess team has been looking for an opening to counter 1.d4. Someone suggested that we play the semi-slav but no one knows how to play it. Could someone please show me how to play it and explain the theory behind it.

Also if someone has any other suggestions for openings I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

A good starting point: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-Slav_Defense

I'm sorry I dont play that but when I play against it , it is very good.

If you want to get out of book quickly, you can try 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.b4! Bg7 4.Bb2 to restrain c5, but it is just shy of equality. 

f5 is a sharp response, and a lot of players won't be so "booked up" on it!  :)

it depends what kind of play you are looking for.  The semi slav is a good choice if you want a slow, positional battle, but if you want more of a sharp position, then try the Dutch or the Kings Indian

 I disagree entirely. The sharpest lines in all of 1.d4 (the Botvinnik system, the anti-Moscow gambit) are part of the Semi-Slav. If white avoids them by choosing the Meran, it's plenty sharp too (see the Kramnik-Anand games from their WC match).

(Botvinnik system: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 etc; anti-Moscow gambit 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 etc; Meran 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 etc)

To me, the semi-slav with 5.Bg5 is the Najdorf of 1.d4.

Try a benoni with d4 c5 d5 nf6 c4 e6

What level is your team?  If you're of the strength to handle the SemiSlav you've already got an answer to 1. d4 ... If you are club players and need a counter to 1. d4 look elsewhere. 

Check out this article on chess.com then ask some more questions.

http://www.chess.com/article/view/options-for-black-vs-1d4

I play, in decending order, NimzoIndian, QueensIndian, BogoIndian, Slav and Benoni.  The first three are closely related, the last two are to change the pace.

I play around with the Dutch, QGA, QGD, KID, Grunfeld, Benko, and some transpositional concepts based off of 1. d4  e6 when the mood strikes me.  IOW I play a lot of Correspondence and not much OTB.  If you mainly play OTB you need to limit the openings you play. 

Have a look at the Tarrasch,you won't regret it. Dynamic,open tactical postions that you will know more than your opponent.Good for younger players etc etc Adopt the Isolated Queen's Pawn as your friend and checkmate White in under 40 moves :-)

1d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c5...

You can also play against many of the flank opening formations. Kasparov and Spassky have played it....

Don't popularise it too much though - lets just keep this weapon to people on this thread :-) shhhh :-)