Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

48 THE BOTVINNIK SEMI-SLAV
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18 .. .'iWxe6 is awkward, but in InformaJor
73 Veingold comes up with the
interesting 18 l:te1 I?~ Since a queen
capture on e6 is now ruled out, White
is ready to take the bishop on g2, while
another unpleasant threat is 19 exd7
':xd7 20 l:te8+. These two things look
difficult to parry simultaneously, but
bearing in mind that Black is still attacking
the knight on c3, it would be
surprising if B lack could not find a defence.
The following analysis is based
on Veingold's notes in Informator:
a) 18 ... i.a8?! 19 exd7+ ':xd7 20
':e8+ 1.tc7 21 i.f4+ i.d6 22 ':xh8
i.xf4 23 'it'g4 threatens both Black's
bishops and wins.
b) 18 ... i.c6 is tougher to meet: 19
e7! bxc3 (it is no surprise that Fritz
suggests 19 .. Jle8, but after 20 exf8'it'
':hxf8 21 ltxe8+ ':xe8 22lLld5 ~b7
23 a3 the position seems to favour
White, a sample line being 23 ....:e5 24
lLle7 ltxg5 25 f4 ':g6 26 lLlxg6 fxg6
27 f7 and White wins) 20 exd8'it'+ (20
e8'ir' c2!) 20 ... ~xd8 21 bxc3 and White
has a distinct advantage.
c) 18 ... 'it'c61gexd7+l::txd720'ii'g4
bxc3 (20 ... i.h3 is met by 21 l::te8+!?
1.tb7 22 'ii'e4 ±) 21 l::te8+ ~c7 22 bxc3
(Black is a piece up but his king is too
vulnerable) 22 ... i.h3 23 i.f4+ i.d6
24 i.xd6+ l::txd6 (24 ... 'it'xd6 25 'it'f3
+-) 25 l::te7+ l::td7 26 'ii'f4+ 'ii'd6, and
now Veingold only gives 27 'ii'f3 followed
by some strange analysis; Black
can defend with 27 ... l:tb8. However, 27
l:txd7+ wins the queen; for example,
27 ... ~xd7 (the same theme occurs after
27 ... i.xd7) 28 l::tb7 + 1.tc6 29 'ii'e4+
'ii'd5 30 l:tc7 +