Slav Defense, Changing My Repertoire Choice Again: Thoughts or Advice?

if u want very sharp stuff then i can give u my sword

*Ganon pulls out two swords* 

lol

you guys are writing whole novels on these openings, chill....

xD Some chess books are on just one opening and some chess books are on even just one variation! We're just getting started xD

For the club player looking for "sharp" play after Bg5 don't know why would play h6 because after BxN , what advantages do you get over a normal queen's gambit declined? It's basically a Queen's gambit declined type position that's called a semi-slav. The Botvinnik variation looks a more consistent approach.

Black typically takes on c4 after white moves their lsb,  fianchettos their bishop and plays with some grunfeldian ideas in mind. You have an asymmetrical pawn structure, the bishop pair, and a couple of pawn breaks in mind. Plenty of play in a reasonable position. The Botvinnik can be a bit theoretical and many lines are just draws anyway.

If You are looking for sharp play you should consider the Chigorin if you are pretty sure your opponent will play c4. Its been a while since I looked at it but I seem to remember that some lines are similar to the moscow. There are also lines similar to Grunfeld and transposiions to QGA. The only thing is I find it  hard to stir things up when white isnt playing an early c4, so in that situation I normally transpose to a Grunfeld set up which I have a lot of success with.

post similar forum about caro kahn as well...i got more than 100 replies in caro kahn forum i posted ..

i guess caro kahn is just too famous at our level as well as at the alpha zero level too xd..only alireza knows its the most solid opening ever invented in history of chess that follows all basic principles

Opening principles like blocking the c6 square for your Knight, you mean? Caro is good for long-term pawn structure and striking in the center, but it isn't "basic principles" as well as 1. e4 e5 or 1. d4 d5. xD

u must be fun at parties

The line in post 1 is not a Ragozin.  It is an Anti-Moscow variation of the Semi-Slav Defense.

The Ragozin is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bb4.

In the original post, the Bishop remains on f8.

Checking this out I don't even understand how I got to 1800 rapid without having an opening I have actually study. I really doubt I have study any opening since I started out, but great insight but I prefer playing a bit more solid so I don't think I'll ever play this but I think it will me know how to avoid these lines now.

Thanks for posting

The only thing I'll add is that these Slav lines are mainline and about as solid as one can get. What you are probably intending to say is: you don't like how sharp the play is (and that is understandable as the playstyle doesn't fit everyone). 

You just have to find some opening(s) which you like and you are comfortable with (fits your playstyle if possible) and then play that more. 

Good luck finding an opening or two you like

You might want to try the Caro-Kann against 1. e4 and maybe the Nimzo- or Bogo-Indian… the Slav is also solid. My preference is the KID but if you’re looking for a quieter game, that’s probably not the best option. Good luck finding some that suit you. I’m still deciding too, to be honest, about what to play against 1. e4 as my main move and whether or not I should continue playing the Ruy Lopez as white, the Open or Closed Sicilian, the KIA, d4, or all.

Thanks for the post and good luck deciding on your own openings as well

While I do have decent knowledge of the main openings I play, I feel as if I don't understand them well enough. Because whenever the opponent plays an offbeat move, more often then not I just respond with a natural developing move than trying to find the optimal punishment. In some games I analyzed I even lose my advantage with natural opening moves. Its frustrating.

Yeah; it can be challenging - it is like you have to learn "how to learn" because it isn't always so obvious how to improve your play. It probably just takes a lot of trial and error (and practice/experience), but I find that it usually becomes slightly more clear at 1600-1800 chess.com level. 

I specify this range because that is roughly when I felt like I started grasping more "positional" chess concepts and was better able to reason for myself why certain moves (like engine recommendations in post-game analysis) are preferred or not. Even at 1800, you won't be correct 100% of the time in your reasoning (even GMs aren't always right), but at least it will feel slightly more logical in figuring out what to play instead. 

Until that rating range and chess understanding happens, I recommend finding positions which confuse you a bit and post your questions in the forums; if you present it well, then you are likely to get helpful responses from higher rated players

Just to show how I've had similar confusion/frustration in understanding too, here is a forum thread I created a few years ago:

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/game-analysis/scotch-game-why-a-pawn-here 

The Slav seems like a very important opening.  
Against 1) d4 I play c6.  Also - after 1) e4 I play c6 too.
But I've done better with the Caro Kann than with the Slav.  
It just seems clearer what's going on and how to proceed. 
In the Caro.

Some notes about the Slav:
1) I sometimes get something that's related to 'the Noteboom' I believe.
I get a pawn at b4 supported by a pawn at a5.  But not usually.
2) The bishop at c8 can become 'problematical'.  For black.
3) White often gets ahead of me in development.  I've got too much 'pawn work' to do. 
4) A white bishop at g2 can get really nasty.  Even though my pawn is at c6.
5) Often - I'm struggling to get that Slav pawn up to c5.  If I don't - then white's going to be too much better on the c-file.
6) Sometimes I get the c8 bishop to a6 and get to exchange it off for white's f-bishop.  Sometimes even at c4.  I usually do well in those.

There's a nice little short trap that white often falls into in my slav games
- I win a bishop !
But I'll wait a bit for others to post.  Before displaying it here.