Botvinnik Semi-Slav, The (Pedersen)

BUCK'S 13TH MOVE ALTERNATIVES 75
d) 17 l:gl (played with the same
idea as 17 f3!? but now the h-pawn is
en prise) 17 ... ttJe5 (17 ... l:xh2!? 18
dxe6 ttJe5 19 'iVd6+ g8 20 f4 'iWf5 + Vujatovi6-Zontakh,
Kiev 1994.
e) 17 g4 l:g6 (the only move according
to Piket, but I must admit that
I cannot work out why it is essential to
place the rook on g6; in my opinion
17 ... l:h4 is a perfectly viable alternative
- for example, 18 dxe6 .i.xhl 19
exd7 l:d8 20 ttJxb5 l:xh2leaves Black
much better, or 18 l:gl, when, compared
to line 'd', having the pawn on
g4 is not particularly useful) 18 l:gl
(now if we compare with line 'd' there
has been some point in g4 as the h­
pawn is not attacked) 18 ... ttJe5 19 g5
(19 .i.e2!? and 19 'iWe3!? have been
suggested as possible improvements)
19 ... 'ii'f5 20 'iVe3 exd5 21 .i.h3 'iWf3
(not falling for 21...ttJd3+? 22 l:xd3
'ii'xd3 23 'ii'xc5+ cJ;g7 24 ':'g3 l:c6 25
'iVe7 'ii'd4 26 'iVxb7 ±) 22 'iWxc5+