Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

8 10 ... ~e7
1 d4 dS 2 c4 c6 3 tLlf3 tLlf6 4 tLlc3 e6 S
i.gS dxc4 6 e4 bS 7 eS h6 8 i.h4 gS 9
tLlxgS hxgSl0 i.xgS i.e7 (D)
sideline. First, from the diagram above
White continues 11 exf6 i.xf6 and
then there is the choice between 12
i.xf6 and 12 i.e3. There are pros and
cons for both moves but some theoretical
works regard 12 i.e3 as the strongest.
After 12 i.xf6 'ii'xf6 (D) we have
the following position:
w
10 ... i.e7 has always had a rather
dubious reputation, except for a short
period in the mid-1980s after Smyslov
used it to draw against Kasparov in
their 1984 Candidates match.
This is the only line where Black
does not play the Botvinnik in gambit
style, but his queenside structure is
shaky and mainly due to this and the
dark-squared weaknesses White has
good chances, albeit probably somewhat
overestimated, of coming out of
the opening with an advantage.
Strategy for White and Black
Let us first briefly discuss the ideas for
both sides in this nowadays quite rare
The general rule when one side has a
weak colour complex (as here, where
Black is very weak on the dark squares)
is that the other side should pursue an
exchange of the bishops of the same
colour to emphasize this weakness.
Keeping that in mind, exchanging
bishops on f6 is apparently the most
logical, but other factors are also important.
By parting with the darksquared
bishop White is also giving up