Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

THE MAIN LINE: 17 a3 29
at this very unclear point, but I am sure
I could spend countless hours trying to
find out whether White can weave a
mating-net or not. I will leave it up to
you to find out.
24 ... f5 25 lL\xd7!?
B.Lalic-Wilson, London 1996 continued
25 i.h3 l::tgf7 26 l::txa7 l::tc7 27
lL\e6l::tce7 (27 ... l::tc6? 2S lL\g5 l::tfS 29
l::tfa1 is good for White; e.g., 29 ... l::ta6?
30 l::t 1 xa6 .txa6 31l::taS+ +- Lalit) 2S
lL\g5 'iifeS! 29 lL\xf7 'iifxf7 30 l::tfa1
'ii'h5 31 .tg2 f4 32 l::t7a5 f3 33 .tn
and now White would have been in
trouble after 33 ... l::te4!.
25 .•. l::txd7 26 l::txa7
White's position is somewhat easier
to play, according to Sadler, although
still very unclear.
C2)
IS ... d4!? (D)
w
This inventive move was first seen
in the game Sakaev-Van Wely, Moscow
OL 1994, which had an abrupt
finish, as it was agreed drawn after 19
i.xb7+. I remember setting about to
analyse the position, and found the
number of hidden possibilities amazing.
The move is a very direct way of
trying to avoid the problems arising
when Black cedes control of the d4-
square (as in Line C1).
19 i.xb7+
Exchanging bishops is very logical.
First of all it cannot really be avoided;
second, Black must now decide whether
to recapture with the king or the queen.
The other options are:
a) 19l::te1 (this position could also
arise if White had played lSl::te1 d4 19
axb4) 19 ... i.xg2 20 'it>xg2 and now:
a1) 20 ... cxb4 21 'ii'xd4 'ii'xg5 22
'ii'xc4+ 'iitbS is certainly a risky choice.
Black has won the bishop on g5 but at
the cost of White being able to destroy
the whole of Black's centre. White has
tried several rook moves but 23l::ted1!
appears to be the strongest. White
makes sure that Black cannot complete
his development due to the pin of
the d7-knight, while preserving the
other rook on the attractive a-tile. Additionally,
and most importantly, White
threatens the rook-lift 24 l::td5!. Black
can try:
all) 23 .. :~f5 24 l::td5 'iifh3+ 25
'iitf3 and Black has run out of checks
while being faced with the threat of
l::tb5+, and a number of others.
a12) 23 .. :~xf6 24 'ii'b5+ lL\b6 25
lL\xb6 axb6 26 l::txdS+ 'ii'xdS 27 'ii'c6
and Black is soon mated.
a13) 23 ... l::tcs (D) is the only move.
Then we have: