Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

14 THE BOTVINNIK SEMI-SLA V
25 .txd4 a6 26 .l:f.fbl followed by .tn,
eventually removing the intruding
knight.
Quick Summary
The main line of the Botvinnik System,
starting with 17 a3, is in my opinion
one of the most fascinating openings
to analyse. The rich variety of possibilities
for both sides makes one simply
want to delve deeper and deeper
into the complexity, only to realize that
it is almost impossible to get nearer a
correct assessment.
17 ... 4.Je5 (Line A) and 17 ... 4.Jb8
(Line B) are currently disregarded by
theory. 17 ... 4.Je5 is suspect in view of
the promising queen sacrifice 18 axb4
cxb4 19 'ili'd4 4.Jc6 20 dxc6! .l:f.xd4 21
cxb7+. Since Black seems to have little
choice after 17 ... 4.Jb8 18 axb4 cxb4
19 'ili'd4 but to play 19 ... 4.Jc6, the same
applies to Line B.
However, 17 ... exd5 !? (Line C), has
experienced a revival since it was discovered
that Black has so many hidden
resources after 18 axb4 d4!? The
main line is currently the amazing 19
.txb7+ ~xb7 20 4.Jc3!? dxc3 21
'ii'd5+ ~b6 22 .tf4 .l:f.h5! !, but I have
the feeling that White needs to look
between moves 19 and 22 for an improvement.
The Theory of the Main
Line, 17 a3
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 4.Jf3 tDf6 4 4.Jc3 e6 5
.tg5 dxc4 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 .th4 g5 9
4.Jxg5 hxg5 10 .txg5 4.Jbd7 11 exf6
.tb7 12 g3 'ili'b6 13 .tg2 c5 14 d5
0-0-0150-0 b4 16 4.Ja4 ~b5 17 a3
Now:
A: 17 ... 4.Je5 14
B: 17 ... 4.Jb8 20
C: 17 ... exd5 24
Others:
a) 17 ... .th6 ought to be too slow
in this particular position, but White
failed to react correctly in V.Muller­
SchOn, corr. 1986. Following 18 .te3?!
exd5 19 .txd5? 4.Je5 20 'ili'h5 ':'xd5
White was already in great trouble,
and after 21 axb4 Black concluded energetically:
21....txe3 22 'ili'xh8+ ':'d8
23 'ili'h3+ ~b8 24 fxe3 'ili'c6 25 e4
'it'xe4 26 4.Jxc5 'ili'd4+ 27 ':'f2 4.Jf3+ 28
~n 'it'dl+ 29 .l:f.xdl .l:f.xdl+ 30 ~e2
.l:f.el# (0-1). However, White should
try either 18 h4 or 18 .txh6 ':'xh6 19
dxe6, when, for example, 19 ... .txg2
20 exd7+ .l:f.xd7 21 'it'cllooks good for
White.
b) 17 ... .txd5 18 .txd5 exd5 (alternatively,
18 ... 4.Je5 19 .txe6+ fxe6 20
'tie2 ±) 19 'it'xd5 'it'xa4 20 axb4 4.Jb6
21 'it'xf7 'it'd7 22 ':'xa7! gives White
plenty of play for the sacrificed piece,
according to Korchnoi, and I wholly
agree with this; for example, 22 ... 'it'xf7
23 ':'xf7 cxb4 24 .te3 ':'d7 (24 ... 4.Jd5
25 ':'al!) 25 .l:f.xd7 4.Jxd7 26 .l:f.cl.
A)
17 ... 4.Je5 (D)
This is a very logical move. While
we have seen that Black cannot regain