Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange 2
Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange, part 1
Mikhail Botvinnik - Nikolay Sorokin
URS-ch Moscow, 1931
White has better development, better pieces placement and doubled Rooks on the open d-file. Black has to take care of the e5 pawn, f7 can also be a target in the future, Bc8 is still undeveloped and Nb6 is not on the best square as c6 is natural for this Knight. All this tells us that White is better, but how to progress? Black is slightly passive, but he’s holding everything under control at the moment.
20.Qe3!!
Unexpected, and at first sight, paradoxical solution. Botvinnik is allowing doubled isolated pawns in the center, but he correctly determinated that Qc5 is holding Black’s position together. After the Queens’ exchange, pawn e5 will be hanging and a5 finally becomes a threat. Furthermore, Black will be having problems with Nb6 and how to stop breach over the d-file (d6 or d7).
