Orthodox Defense, Botvinnik Variation

The Botvinnik Variation is White's direct approach to the Orthodox Defense. White skips the waiting move 7. Rc1 and develops the king's bishop at once with 7. Bd3, preparing to castle. The usual struggle over tempi is set aside. If Black captures with ...dxc4, the bishop has to move a second time, so Black gains the time that the main line tries to deny. The early bishop move also lets Black strike with ...c5 without first spending a move on ...c6. The engine considers the position balanced and lists 7...dxc4, 7...h6 and 7...c5 as its top choices. In online play, results are almost evenly split.

In practice 7...c6 is by far the most common reply. It keeps the solid Orthodox triangle and leaves the timing of ...dxc4 open. 7...dxc4 takes the tempo immediately, while 7...b6 aims to fianchetto the queen's bishop and ease Black's usual problem piece. 7...h6 puts the question to the bishop on g5 before Black decides on a central plan. All of these lead to the quiet, maneuvering middlegames typical of the Queen's Gambit Declined. They are less theoretically dense than the Rc1 lines.