Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)
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WHITE GAMBITS: 9 exf6!? 129<br />
B<br />
Bellon - Lu. Perez<br />
Havana Capablanca mem 1999<br />
By playing an early a4, White usually<br />
attempts to prevent Black from<br />
playing ... ttJd7, the idea being that it<br />
would leave Black's queenside too<br />
loose. Nevertheless, here Black can<br />
play:<br />
12 ... ttJd7! 13ltJxd7 ~xd7 14 i.f3<br />
a615 axb5<br />
White does not achieve anything by<br />
opening the a-file, so 15 0-0 might be<br />
better, although White's opening then<br />
appears far from convincing.<br />
15 ... axb5 16l:ba8 i.xa8 17 'iVai<br />
i.b7 18 'iVa7 ~c8 190-0 .l:tg8 20 ..te4<br />
'iVf4 21 .l:tel f5<br />
Black is winning.<br />
Quick Summary<br />
In my opinion good antidotes to 9<br />
exf6 have been found, as in the majority<br />
of lines Black can easily neutralize<br />
White's initiative with a timely ... ltJd7.<br />
For example, after 10 ltJe5 'iVxf6, both<br />
11 g3 (Line A) and 11 ..te2 (Line B)<br />
are well met by l1...ltJd7. 11 a4 (Line<br />
C) is White's best try, to which Black<br />
has reacted in various ways. <strong>The</strong> provocative<br />
11...c5 (Line C 1) looks too<br />
ambitious, while 1l...i.b7 (Line C2)<br />
used to have a slightly bad reputation<br />
but is now fully rehabilitated in view<br />
of 12 ... ltJd7! in reply to 12 i.e2. This<br />
seems to be Black's very best approach,<br />
and hence the popular 11.. .h3 !?<br />
(Line C3) will only have real relevance<br />
in the event of something being<br />
found for White in Line C2.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>The</strong>ory of 9 exf6!?<br />
I d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 ltJf3 ltJf6 4ltJc3 e6 5<br />
..\lg5 dxc4 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 i.h4 g5 9<br />
exf6!? gxh4 10 ttJe5 (D)<br />
This is White's basic idea. His previous<br />
move vacated the e5-square,<br />
which is now accessible to the knight.<br />
This knight serves several purposes.<br />
Above all its main function is to make<br />
it hard for Black to develop smoothly<br />
( ... ltJd7 drops a pawn after ltJxc6,
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