Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

5 Black's 13th Move Alternatives
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 llJf3llJf6 4llJc3 e6 5
i.g5 dxc4 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 i.h4 g5 9
llJxg5 hxg5 10 i.xg5 llJbd7 11 exf6
i.b712 g3 c5 13 d5 (D)
B
The ideas for Black in this chapter
are not available if White chooses the
move-order with 11 g3, though delaying
the capture on f6 gives Black some
alternative ideas (see Chapter 7, Line
A). It is largely a matter of taste which
deviations White wants to avoid.
Quick Summary
The first two alternatives we consider,
13 ... llJb6 (Line A) and 13 ... llJe5 (Line
B) are both rarely seen. 13 ... llJb6 was
reasonably popular until Polugaevsky
discovered the ingenious 14 dxe6!
'ii'xdl + 15 ':'xdl i.xhl 16 e7 a6 17
h4! i.h6 18 f4!, after which Black will
never be able to free his rook on h8.
Hence Black turned his attention towards
14 ... i.xhl 15 e7 'ii'd7, but this
is still good for White. The same can
be said of 13. .. llJe5 14 i.g2 llJd3+ 15
~f1, where Black has spent valuable
time to achieve very little.
13 ... llJxf6 (Line C) and 13 ... i.h6
(Line D) are, however, both playable
options. In particular, I find the line
13 ... llJxf6 14 i.g2 i.e7 15 0-0 llJxd5
16 i.xe7 ~xe7 17llJxb5 'ii'b618llJa3
.:!.h4!? 19 'ii'd2llJf4!? very interesting,
but I admit there is a certain risk that
putting two pieces en prise like this
will not hold up to close scrutiny.
The Theory of Black's
13th Move Alternatives
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3llJf3llJf6 4llJc3 e6 5
i.g5 dxc4 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 i.h4 g5 9
llJxg5 hxg5 10 i.xg5 llJbd7 11 exf6
i.b712 g3 c5 13 d5
Now:
A: 13 ... llJb6 59
B: 13 ... llJe5 60
c: 13 ... llJxf6 62
D: 13 ... i.h6 68
13 ... 'ii'c7 14 i.g2 transposes to
Line Bl in Chapter 7. Not, however,
13 ... b4? 14 i.xc4! and White wins.