12. Botvinnik Variation: 5...dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6
Black captures on c4, counterattacks the Bishop with ...h6 and ...g5 and accepts the sacrifice 9.Nxg5. After 12.Bg2 Qb6 the f6 Knight is no longer pinned and Black prepares long castling.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.g3 Bb7 12.Bg2 Qb6
Move by move
- 1.d4 – White opens with the Queen's pawn: it occupies d4, controls e5 and c5 and prepares c4 to put pressure on the Black center.
- 1...d5 – Black answers symmetrically: the d5 pawn prevents e4 and claims its share of the center.
- 2.c4 – The Queen's Gambit: the c4 pawn attacks d5 and threatens cxd5, to take away Black's control of e4.
- 2...c6 – The Slav Defense: c6 supports d5 without blocking the diagonal of the c8 Bishop, which can come out to f5 or g4 before ...e6.
- 3.Nf3 – The Knight comes out toward the center, controls e5 and protects d4; White keeps the choice open between Nc3, e3 and the Exchange Variation.
- 3...Nf6 – The Black Knight controls e4 and defends d5 a second time: White cannot push e4 without preparation.
- 4.Nc3 – The Knight increases the pressure on d5 and prepares e4; now ...dxc4 becomes a real threat, because c4 is not defended.
- 4...e6 – The Semi-Slav: with ...e6 the c6-d5-e6 triangle makes d5 rock solid and prepares ...dxc4 followed by ...b5. The price is the c8 Bishop, now shut in.
- 5.Bg5 – The Bishop pins the f6 Knight to the d8 Queen: White threatens to remove the control of e4 and d5.
- 5...dxc4 – The Botvinnik Variation: Black leaves the pin and captures on c4, preparing ...b5 to keep the pawn.
- 6.e4 – White occupies the center with tempo: with Black's extra pawn on c4, White relies on development and the pin.
- 6...b5 – Black defends the c4 pawn: the b5-c4 chain gives two extra pawns on the queenside in an endgame, if Black survives the center.
- 7.e5 – White attacks the f6 Knight, pinned to the Queen: Black must respond forcefully.
- 7...h6 – Black counterattacks the g5 Bishop: if White takes on f6, Black recaptures and keeps the sharp play.
- 8.Bh4 – The Bishop retreats while keeping the pin on the f6 Knight, which is attacked by the e5 pawn.
- 8...g5 – The Botvinnik push: the pawn attacks the h4 Bishop and breaks the pin, even though it opens the kingside.
- 9.Nxg5 – White sacrifices the Knight for two pawns and to keep the pin on f6 with Bxg5.
- 9...hxg5 – Black takes the Knight: it has an extra piece, but the f6 Knight remains pinned and the h-file opens.
- 10.Bxg5 – The Bishop recaptures on g5 and pins the f6 Knight again: White threatens exf6 to win the piece back.
- 10...Nbd7 – The Knight comes out to d7 to prepare ...Bb7, ...Qb6 and long castling; after exf6 it will control the e5 and c5 squares.
- 11.g3 – White prepares Bg2, which aims at the long diagonal against the Black queenside and the c6 pawn.
- 11...Bb7 – The Bishop goes to b7 to oppose the g2 Bishop on the long diagonal and prepare long castling.
- 12.Bg2 – The Bishop settles on g2, where it presses on c6 and on the Black queenside.
- 12...Qb6 – The Queen leaves d8 and removes the pin on the f6 Knight: it prepares ...O-O-O and presses on d4.
How to exploit the position
Very sharp position: Black has extra pawns on the queenside and the open h-file, White has the attack and the f6 Knight is under pressure.
- Castle long with ...O-O-O: the King goes to c8, protected by the b5 and c6 pawns, and the d8 Rook arrives on the d-file.
- The break ...c5 opens the diagonal of the b7 Bishop against the White King and attacks d4.
- With ...b4 drive away the c3 Knight and increase the strength of the Black pawn chain.
- The Rook on h8 on the open h-file presses on h2: it is an extra weapon for Black.
Master tips
The pawns on the queenside
In the Botvinnik Black accepts a ruined structure on the kingside in exchange for the b5 and c4 pawns, which are very strong.