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1. d4
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I almost always play 1.e4, but if I know my opponent will enter the botvinnik variation I'll play 1.d4 as it is a completely fascinating variation. |
 
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1... d5
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My opponent in this game loves the semi-slav and he makes this move without hesitation. |
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2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4
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And we've reached the opening position of the botvinnik. Black ceded the center to white but he snags the c4 pawn. |
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6. e4 b5 7. a4
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7.e5 is also possible, it leads to extremely complicated lines with absurd material imbalances (like three pieces for two rooks, or a queen for two pieces). We had played that line a few times, and this game I felt like trying something new. |
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7... Bb4
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I think this is the best move to hold the pawn, but it does have a problem that occurs in a few moves. 7... Qb6 may be fine for black as it's difficult for me to use the fact that his queen's in the open, 7... b4 is met by 8.Nb1 where the c4 pawn is quite ugly. |
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8. e5
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After a one move delay I charge forward. |
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8... h6 9. exf6 hxg5 10. fxg7
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We've exchanged pieces and for the moment material is equal, but notice how 7.a4 acted as a decoy, drawing the bishop to b4. now he has to waste tempo moving the rook over and recapturing the pawn on g7 while if his bishop was on f8 he could take and develop his bishop at the same time. |
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10... Rg8 11. h4
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I now have a plan. I'm going to create an outside passed pawn on the h-file and push for victory. |
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11... g4
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taking my pawn doesn't help my opponent in the slightest. 11... gxh4 12.Rxh4 Rxg7 13.Rh8 Bf8 (forced as otherwise the queen is skewered) 14.axb5 cxb5 15.Nxb5 where c4 is falling, I will soon have a strong outpost for my knight on e5 and he's completely tied down. |
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12. Ne5 Rxg7 13. h5
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I could win g4 but I feel that the most important factor in my favor in this position is the passed h pawn and thus it's advance is more important than regaining a silly pawn. |
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13... f5
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On the other hand my opponent likes his pawn advantage and he defends g4 while cramping my position a little. Note though, how loose his pawns look. |
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14. h6
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PUSH! |
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14... Rh7 15. Nxg4
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15.Nxg4??! Am I completely nuts? well, yes. This is probably unsound, but here's my justification for such a wild move. a) look at his pawns, they're really ugly. They're advance or isolated, and either way they're ripe for the picking. b) I want to support my h pawn and f5 locked me out of the kingside, with this move I bring my queen over to support it's advance. c) His king is in the middle of the board with no pawn protection, and his pieces are undeveloped. |
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15... fxg4
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Declining the sac achieves nothing, after 15... Qg5 I have 16. Ne5 Rxh6 17.Rxh6 Qxh6 18.axb5 where he cannot take back because of Qf3 hitting his rook. When he makes some other move I win c4 and am doing great. |
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16. Qxg4
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With threats of 17.Qg8 and 17.Qg6 either way I win the rook. he has two reasonable looking moves here. |
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16... Qe7
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And he picks the one I think is worse 16... Kd7 (trying to run) 17.axb5 Qf6! (17... axb5 18.Qe4 forks rooks) 18.Bxc4 Rxh6. The position is dangerous for black but it's probably his best chance to hold the game. |
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17. g3
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! a stunningly dangerous quiet move, out of nowhere it's very difficult for black to do anything. Here's a sample line that wasn't played: a) 17... Bxc3 18.bxc3 b4 (trying to break through 19.Bg2 bxc3 20.Qg8 ! Kd7 21.Be4! Rf7 22.h7 and white will queen. |
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17... Bb7
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c6 will be attack by the bishop on g2 and this move defends that square. However it does weaken the e6 square's defense. |
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18. Bg2
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The logical move. |
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18... a6
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He's in trouble and this move doesn't hold, but what else can he do? 18... Nd7 is killed by 19.axb5 where he simply can't take back and I threaten to take on c6. 19... axb5 20.Rxa8 Bxa8 21.Qg8 ! where I skewer the king and knight on b8. If the queen blocks I get the h7 rook. |
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