Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

BLACK'S 8TH MOVE ALTERNATIVES 207
Anapolsky-Szuhanek, Baile Herculane
1994 continued 11 liJxe4 c5 12
dxc5?! (Szuhanek queries this and instead
suggests 12 d5 but does not think
that Black has any problems; then
12 ... liJb6 is a possibility, while Szuhanek
also gives the following line:
12 ... liJf6 13 'iia4+ .id7 14 'iib3 exd5
15 cxdSliJxe4 16 .ixe4 .id6 17 'iixb7
l:tb8 18 'iixa7l:ta8 19 'iib7 with equality)
12 ... liJxc5 13 liJxc5 .ixc5 14
'iie20-0 15l:tad1 'iif6 (15 ... 'iic7!?) 16
liJe5 as! 17 'iifh 1 l:ta6 18 .ie4 l:td6 19
l:txd6 .ixd6 20 f4 and a draw was
agreed but Szuhanek rightly thinks
that Black would be slightly better after
20 ... l:td8.
11 .ixc4 b5 12 .ib3
12 .id3 0-0 13 e5 b4 14liJe4 c5 15
dxc5 liJxc5 16 liJxc5 .ixc5 17 'ii'c2
.ib7! 18 'iixc5 .ixf3 19 'iie3 .ib7 20
l:tfd1 \i'g5 21 \i'xg5 hxg5 was fine for
Black in Guliev-Vologin, Cappelle la
Grande 1996.
12 ••• 0-0
12 ... b4 13 liJa4 .ia6 14 d5!? exd5
15 liJd4 was seen in Tal-Chandler,
Sochi 1982 and now Black should play
15 ... liJe5 with great complications but
instead went wrong with 15 ... l:tc8 16
exd5 cxd5 17 l:te1 0-0 18 .ixd5, when
White was clearly better.
13d5
The more cautious 13 l:tel, transposing
to note 'c' to White's 10th
move in Line C, might be preferable.
13 ... cxdS 14 exd5 liJc5 15 liJd4
After 15 dxe6.ixe6 16 .ixe6liJxe6
17liJxb5, 17 ... l:tb8 is unclear according
to Volodin. I think I would prefer to
play 17 ... 'iib6 but see no cause for
concern for Black.
15 ... liJxb3 16 liJc6!? liJxal! 17
liJxd8 l:txd8 18 d6 .ixd6 19 'iie2 b4
20 liJe4 .ie7 21l:txal .ib7
The chances are roughly equal. The
rook and two bishops plus a pawn are
worthy contenders against White's
queen and knight, Khenkin-Vol odin,
Pardubice 1997.
C2)
10 a3 0-0 (D)
w
11 'iWc2
This flexible continuation is White's
most common approach. White keeps
his options open as to whether to play
on the queenside or in the centre. The
main question is whether the queen
should be on c2 or e2 but whereas the
queen on c2 seems to be better placed
in connection with a queenside expansion
the queen on e2 is more appropriately
used for playing in the centre.
Alternatives: