Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

7 a4 147
There seems to be no way that
White can really exploit this, so I prefer
to defend the g-pawn. This is just,
after 12 .. .lhg7, to rule out 13 lLlxg4,
whether it be good or bad.
13 hS 1:txg7 14 i.e2 (D)
B
14 .. :iVgS!?
After this it is clear that White must
continue energetically, otherwise the
h-pawn will simply become weak.
Other options for Black look inferior:
a) 14 ... cS?! IS h6l:th7 16 i.xg4!
'iWxd4 17 i.hS+ (17 'iWxd4 cxd4 18
i.f3 dxc3 19 0-0-0 lLld7 20 lLlxd7
i.xd7 21 i.xa8 bxa4 gave Black sufficient
counterplay to draw in Dizdar­
Sulava, Makarska tt 1994) 17 .. /tite7
18 lLlg6+ ct;f6 19 \WcI! i.xc3+ 20
bxc3 'iWe4+ 21 ct;n i.b7, Dokhoian­
Yakovich, Uzhgorod 1987, and now
Dokhoian recommends 22 f3 'iWd3+
23 ct;gl b4, when both 24 'iWel and 24
'iWf4 win on the spot.
b) 14 ... 'iWdS IS 'iWd2! lLld7 16 h6
.%:th7 17 'ii'gS ± Lipman-AI. Karpov,
USSR 1986.
IS'iWd2
Yudasin and all's suggestion, but
Yudasin was willing to play Black's
position later, so he might not think it
to be that much. Other options are:
a) IS axbS cxbS 16 dS?! is a very
direct attempt but not at all convincing.
16 ... i.b7 17 dxe6 i.xg2 18 l:tgl
i.b7 19 i.f3?!, Lautier-Thorsteinsson,
Reykjavik 1988, and now 19 ... 'iWf6!
looks very strong.
b) IS ~n i.b7 (1S ... l:th7!?) 16
axbS i.xc3 17 bxc6 lLlxc6 18 bxc3
lLlxeS 19 dxeS i.dS 20 'ii'a4+ ct;f8 21
i.xc4 'iWd2 with counterplay, Kramnik-Yudasin,
Pamplona 1992/3.
IS ... 'iWxd2+ 16 ct;xd2 i.b7 17 f3!
lLld7 18 h6l:th7 19lLlxd7
19 fxg4 0-0-0 20 'Oitc2 cS!? is more
critical according to Gil but does not
actually look bad for Black.
19 ... ~xd7 20 fxg4 a6 21 gxfS exfS
The position is approximately equal,
Bellon-Gil Capape, Spanish Ch 1993.
White's h-pawn is likely to be exchanged
for Black's f-pawn, when
Black's bishops will make up for the
passed g-pawn.
D)
7 .. :iib6!? (D)
This is Black's sharpest option,
holding on to the extra pawn. While in
my opinion the move is quite playable,
it is noteworthy that few players are
prepared to take on the defensive task
required. The key is not to become
too desperate when White attempts to
break up Black's centre.