Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

102 THE BOTVINNIK SEMI-SLAV
A precise move; after, for example,
20 .. J~dg8, Black would be in trouble
in view of 21 l:.hl!.
21 a4 b4 22 ltJb5
This occurred in Timman-Tal, Hilversum
KRO (2) 1988. Now 22 .. :ii'dS!
23 l:.fdlltJd3 would give Black plenty
of counterplay. After 24 'iVe3 Tal supplies
the line 24 ... 'iVxgS! (threatening
.. :ilt'xg3+!; 24 ... a6 and 24 ... l:.dh8 are
both inferior) 2S 'iVe4 (2S 'it'xgS?!
l:.xgS 26ltJxa7+ cj;>b7 27 ltJbS l:.gdS!
+) 2S ... 'iVdS 26 l:.xd3 cxd3 and then:
a) 27 l:.cl+ cj;>b8 28 'iVxb4 d2 29
ltJc7+ cj;>c8! (29 .. :ii'b7 30 ltJa6+ =) 30
l:.c3 'iVxf3+!! -+.
b) 27 'ilt'xb4 d2 28ltJxa7+ (28 l:.a3
dlltJ!! -+) 28 ... cj;>c7 29ltJbS+ cj;>b8 30
ltJc3+ (30 'iVaS?! l:.d7; 30 ltJd6+?!
cj;>a8) 30 ... 'ilt'b7 31 'iVxb7+ cj;>xb7 with
an unclear position.
823)
14 ... .th6 (D)
w
This was once thought too slow but
is now becoming quite fashionable.
15 i.xh6
IS .te3 ltJxf6 16 'iVf3 should be
met by 16 ... i.xe3 17 fxe3 l:.h6, when
White's kingside has been weakened
and he cannot really use the semi-open
f-file; Moran-Juarez Flores, Granma Z
1987 continued 18 a4 a6 19 b3 cxb3
20 l:.fbl l:.xd4!? 21 axbS? (after 21
exd4 'ii'xd4+ 22 cj;>hlltJg4 23 h4 Black
may not have anything more than a
perpetual check) 21...l:.c4 22 bxa6
l:.xc3 23 axb7+ cj;>xb7 24 cj;>hl b2 +.
15 ... l:.xh6 16 ltJe4!
White has several other options but
this is the one that makes the best impression.
White centralizes his knight,
threatening ltJd6+ and 'preventing'
16 ... ltJxf6 in view of the positionally
desirable 17 ltJcS. Others:
a) 16 a4ltJxf6 17 as 'iVxd4 18 'ilt'f3
'ii'eS 19 a6 .ta8 20 l:.fdl l:.xdl+ 21
l:.xdl b4 (2l...ltJdS!? - Ernst) 22ltJe2
l:.h8 and Black is better, Wells-Lukacs,
Budapest 1994.
b) 16 'iVd2 l:.g6 17 a4ltJxf6 is unclear.
c) 16 'iVcl l:.dh8 (note that this is
possible, whereas against 16 'iVd2
White would have 17 ltJe4 cS 18 dxcS
ltJxcS 19 ltJd6+) 17 ltJe4 cS (Black
wisely refrains from 17 ... l:.xh2 18
ltJd6+ cj;>b8 19 ltJxb7! cj;>xb7 20 a4,
when, although the position is far from
clear, White has reasonable attacking
chances) 18 'iVf4 l:.xh2 19 ltJd6+
'ilt'xd6! 20 .txb7+