Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)
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THE MAIN LINE: 7 e3 CUd7 8 i.d3 dxc4 199<br />
(this is actually one of such positions<br />
where the opposite-coloured bishops<br />
favour White). <strong>The</strong>n White can very<br />
likely provoke ... c5, whereafter White's<br />
bishop will become much stronger<br />
than its opposite number. Placing it on<br />
d5 will create a pathway for White's<br />
king across the light squares towards<br />
the queenside. Black can probably still<br />
defend but it is certainly unpleasant.<br />
19lLle2!?<br />
If 19 l::tc2, Atalik gives 19 ... h5! 20<br />
lLla4 l::thc8 21lLlc5 (21 l::tfcl?! .th6)<br />
2l...a5!? with counterplay. Even though<br />
it is probably not enough to win if<br />
Black plays correctly, I would certainly<br />
rather be White after 22 l::tdl<br />
.th6 23 l::tc3 intending ':cd3.<br />
19 •• J:thc8 20 l::tc5lLld7 21lh5 l::tb7<br />
22 l::tellLlb8 23 lLlc3 l::td8 24 lLldl h5<br />
25lLle3<br />
<strong>The</strong> rook on the 5th rank prevents<br />
Black activating his bishop immediately.<br />
25 .• .'~f6!?<br />
A simpler method of equalizing is<br />
25 ... f6.<br />
26 lLlc4 .th6 27 l::tdl l::txdl+ 28<br />
i.xdl a6!!<br />
A very profound defence. 28 ... .tf4?<br />
29 .ta4! is unpleasant, but after the<br />
text-move White has to be content<br />
with an equal position. Black's idea is<br />
... l::tb5, while White gets nothing from<br />
taking the e5-pawn; e.g., 29 lLlxe5?<br />
i.d2 30 l::tc5 .tb4 or 29 l::txe5 l::txb2!.<br />
29 .te2! l::tb5 30 l::ta4 c5!? 31 b3<br />
l::tb4 32 l::ta3! .tel 33 l::ta5 l::tb5 34<br />
l::txb5 axb5 35 lLld6 b4 36lLlb7<br />
Ehlvest-Atalik, Philadelphia 1995.<br />
Now 36 ... lLlc6 followed by ... lLld4<br />
would have assured instant equality.<br />
83)<br />
11 b4(D)<br />
It is not clear how useful 11 l::tc 1<br />
really is if Black takes his time ftrst to<br />
prevent White from following up with<br />
b4, and 11 e4 e5 seems to solve Black's<br />
problems rather easily, so this immediate<br />
advance of the b-pawn has lately<br />
become White's best chance of an<br />
opening advantage.<br />
11 ... 0-0<br />
11...a5 is an attempt to take advantage<br />
of the early move with the b-pawn<br />
but 12 b5 c5 13 lLle4 'ike7 14 dxc5 is<br />
very strong. Taking on al is evidently<br />
too risky and it is hardly advisable to<br />
recapture on c5, with a knight dropping<br />
into d6. P.Cramling-Portisch, Prague<br />
(Women vs Veterans) 1995 therefore<br />
continued 14 ... 0-0 15 l::tcl lLlxc5 16<br />
lLlxc5 'ikxc5 17 i.xe6 'ikxb5 18 .td5<br />
with an advantage for White.
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