I play d4 with White and against the slav/semislav I start with the order of d4,c4,e3,Nc3 usually. But when I face the 3...Bf5 variation in the slav I do 4.Nf3. My problem is with a certain variation where I can't play Nh5 trying to capture the the light-squared bishop at the right time as illustrated in this variation:
[FEN ""]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.Nc3 Bd6 7. O-O h6 8. b3 Ngf6 9. Bb2 O-O 10.Rc1
Qe7 11. h3
After move 7...h6 I really don't know for which pawn structure I should go for. I noticed that Radjabov went for a b3 system and played the moves that I suggested up. But Black is better out of the opening and this really pisses me off! I mean I'm playing with White, I should have a slight advantage. My dark-squared bishop is bad, and Black's bishops are well developed! I would really appreciate your feedback about this position after move 3...Bf5 or 5...Nd7. How White should set up his pieces? and what are the general plans in these positions? In the variations where I'm allowed to play Nh5 to capture the bishop, I always do it. But if I can't, this is where I get stuck. btw I also checked the move 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Qb3 or 5.Nc3 and then 6.Qb3
[FEN ""]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Bf5 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Qb3 (5.Nc3 Nf6 (5...e6 6.Qb3)(5...a6 6.Qb3)6.Qb3)
but I'm not sure about it. Let me know what you think.