Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

206 THE BOTVINNIK SEMI-SLAV
in the previous note and Black has
counterplay against d4.
C)
S .. :ii'dS
This is probably the most solid option
at Black's disposal, but it is also a
little passive. Black intends to develop
his bishop to e7, from where it, contrary
to placing it on d6, is not vulnerable
to attacks from a white e- or
c-pawn. But before developing the
bishop Black needs to retreat the queen
so as not to leave her majesty in front
of the army.
90-0 i.e7 (D)
w
There are now two strategic options
available for White. He can either play
on the queenside or attempt to exploit
his lead in development and space advantage
by breaking in the centre immediately.
Hence we have:
Cl: 10 e4 206
C2: 10 a3 207
Other possibilities:
a) 10 'ii'e2 0-0 IIl::tfdl f5 12l::tabl
a6 13 b4 i.d6 14 a4 tiJf6 15l::tdc1 tiJe4
16 'ii'c2 i.d7 17 b5 axb5 18 axb5 'ii'e7
with an unclear position, perhaps
slightly in White's favour, Torre-Ribli,
Alicante Ct (5) 1983.
b) 10 cxd5 exd5 (10.:.cxd5 11l::tc1
a6 is also about equal) 11 a3 a5 12 'ii'e2
0-0 13l::tadl. Some sort of Exchange
Queen's Gambit has arisen and I suspect
Black should have no genuine
problems here. The simple 13 ... l::te8
suggests itself. Nevertheless in the
game B6nsch-Sveshnikov, Sochi 1984
White was able to achieve a slight
edge after 13 ... i.d6 14 e4 dxe4 15
tiJxe4 tiJf6 16 tiJe5 i.e6 17 l::tfel.
c) 10 l::tc1 0-0 11 e4 (11 'ii'e2 a6 12
i.bl f5 13 tiJel i.d6 14 c5 i.c7 15 f4
tiJf6 16 i.d3 i.d7 was about equal in
Karpov-Anand, Wijk aan Zee 1998)
ll...dxc4 12 i.xc4 b5 13 i.b3 a6 14
'ii'e2 c5 15 a4 b4 16 tiJbl i.b7 17l::tfdl
'ii'b6 18 tiJbd2 cxd4 19 tiJc4 'ii'a7 20
tiJxd4 tiJc5 21 i.c2 i.g5 22l::tal 1 h- 1 h
Lazarev-Volodin, Cappelle la Grande
1997.
Cl)
10 e4 dxc4
Black could also consider the other
capture, 1O ... dxe4. This results in a
strategically different position from
the main line, for after Black breaks
with ... c5, White will obtain a 3 vs 2
majority on the queenside. However, it
is doubtful whether this is really to
White's advantage and another idea is
hence to play for a passed d-pawn.