Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

MOVE-ORDERS AND VARIOUS DEVIATIONS 103
w
16 ... cS (D)
21 bxa7~b7 22.l:Hdl ±Beliavsky) 19
a4! ttJc5 20 'it'f4 :h5 21 axb5 ± Beliavsky-Palac,
Bled 1996.
18 ttJd6+ ~c719 'ir'xb7+ ~xd6 20
dxcS+ ttJxcS 21 :adl + ttJd3 22 'it'e4
rj;e7
Here I would prefer Black, if any
colour, Van Wely-Piket, Wijk aan Zee
blitz 1999.
83)
12 ... cS 13 dS (D)
17 'ii'f3!?
This had a storming debut, but nevertheless
I think White should again
turn his attention towards 17 'it'd2. In
fact it is uncertain why White in the
first place looked for an alternative
since 17 'ir'd2 l:thh8 (17 ... l:tdh8 18
dxc5 ttJxc5 19 ttJd6+ ±) 18 'ir'f4 i.xe4
19 i.xe4 cxd4 20 a4! e5 21 'ir'f3
'it'xf6?! 22 'ir'a3! was actually very
promising for White in Lechtynsky­
T.Rahman, Dubai OL 1986. However,
it is possible that Black can get away
with 21...b4!?, and, if this does not
work, 17 ... l:th5!? looks like a sensible
alternative.
17 ... l:txf6!
Others are inferior:
a) 17 ... ttJxf6? 18 dxc5 (probably
18 'ir'f4 also favours White) 18 ... i.xe4,
P.H.Nielsen-Ornstein, Gausdal1999,
and now the simplest is 19 'ii'xe4 'ir'a6
20 'ir'a8+ ~c7 21 'ir'f3.
b) 17 ... i.xe4 18 'ir'xe4 cxd4 (or
18 ... ttJxf6 19 dxc5 ttJxe4 20 cxb6 f5
B
He we discuss the relatively few deviations
that have not already been examined
in previous chapters en route
to the main line, including 17 dxe6 instead
of 17 a3.
13 ... 'ir'b6
For alternatives, see Chapter 5.
14 i.g2 0-0-0
14 ... b4 is an interesting alternative.
It might transpose to the main line but
independent approaches often lead to
very complex play; e.g., 15 0-0 (15
ttJa4 'it'd6!?) 15 ... bxc3 (15 ... 0-0-0 is
probably better) 16 bxc3 'ir'c7 (the