Not sure what he is doing with this move. Maybe Rcb8, but I'm not too sure what doubling on the b-file does for him.

The question is whether I should try to exploit his move with Be2.

If Be2 Nce4 Ba6 I win the exchange, but Black gets a pawn and some compensation. Still I think I would be slightly better after Nxc3 bc Rxc3 Bb7 Qb7 Rb1

If Be2 Nfe4 Bb5 I think Black can also give up the exchange with Rb5 ab Nc3 bc Qb5 and I think Black should be fine - perhaps even slightly better with his passed a-pawn.

After some thought I don't really see anything better than my original plan of Ra3 - I'll just see what he does next. Ra3 has a concrete idea of being able to capture on c3 with the rook in some lines, but mainly it's just a waiting move.

Takes more analysis than these players have been doing on each move to prove it, but 22. .. Qb3! is clearly better for black. White essentially has to choose between giving up a pawn and giving up both the open b and c files.

So with his last move, white makes capturing on a5 possible, trading the a-pawn for his b-pawn. In this particular situation I'm not too concerned about it. White would like to get his knight from f1 back into the game. However, Nd2 can be met by Nd3 and Ne3 by Ne4, which enables me to get rid of at least one bishop, whereas Ng3 seems kind of pointless. I do not really see good active moves for white, so I'll protect a5, making the trade not an option right now, and see what he comes up with

, before I employ my kingside adventures!

Ok, this prevents my idea of Rcb8 Bxa5 Rb2 Bd2.

He still has the exchange sac after Be2 Rcb8 Bb5 Rb5, with good compensation for the exchange.


But I'm not necessarily obliged to Play bb5, maybe I can find something better to do. Perhaps Bc4 or even f3 might be ok..

Anyway, Be2 looks like the most constructive mover here, so I'll play it.

Aiming at my weak white squares. However, he does so at the cost of his bishop pair and allows me to expand on the king side after Nfe4. Superfun variation: Nfe4 27 Bb5 Qf5 28 Qc2 Rxb5 29 axb5 Nd3 30 Qxd3 Qxf2 31Kh1/h2 Bb6 and I don't know, but it's messy . Maybe not worth it though, since my position feels better, but who knows.

This is the only reasonable move. I'm expecting 27...Rb5 28.ab Qb5 29.Qe2 Nc3 30.Rc3 Qb7 - maybe I'm being optimistic, but I think I should be able to hold this.

So Qe7 or Qf5. I feel Qe7 is too slow and like Qf5 better, as previously.

Ok, I didn't consider that move at all. It's a weird type of chess blindness. I guess I'll try to post my thoughts in a stream of consciousness style while I try to find a move.

Ok he's threatening f2 - if I lose that pawn my game collapses, so the only moves to consider are ways of defending f2.

The candidates are Qc2, Qe2, Qf3, f3

Ok, Qf3 is obviously a desperate measure. I can probably hold the ending after Qf3 gf Nc3 Rc3 - I should be able to exchange rooks and Knights eventually and the opposite coloured bishops will give me good drawing chances.

Qe2 ok, my idea is to play Ne3 next, for example after Bb6 Ne3 and it doesn't look like there are any tactics on the diagonal that are working. So Bb6 Ne3 Qf4 - then Nc4 Ba7 - ok here at a minimum I have Bd2 and I'm not worse.

Qc2 is similar but here I also have ideas of playing f3 - the difference is after Bb6 ne3 Qf4 Nc4 Ba7 I no longer have the Bd2 defense - ok, but I
ve just noticed that in this line I can play Bxa5 and the rook comes over to f3 - so this should be strong for me anyway.. Nxf2 Rf3 Nh3 Kh1 and White wins I think. In this line it doesn't even matter if my queen is on e2 or c2.

Ok, instead of Bb6, he can play Bh4 - basically forcing g3 Qh3 - if the Queen is on c2 I can throw in Re4 in this position - that leads to a very confusing position - I'm not sure who is better.

But with the Q on e2 the whole idea doesn't work because there's no check on g4.

The more I look at it the more I like Qe2 - at least Black's immediate attempts to crash through don't seem to work - he'll probably play Nc3 Rc3 and maybe Qg5 - it's a normal position, probably about equal but with a lot of play.

Ok I should still check f3 - after f3 Nc3 Rc3 Bb6 Kh1, I think it's again a completely normal position. However he has some more dangerous ideas like Bh4 or Bg5 instead of Bb6 - it's probably not a big deal, but I have some weaknesses on the darksquares that I don't really need.

Ok, I've been thinking about an hour now, so I'm going to play the move that seems best to me, which is Qe2 - Black has a lot of options that I haven't considered, and maybe one of them will come off, or maybe I missed something critical.

Anyway, I'm glad he played Qf5 instead of rxb5, since now I think we're playing for 3 results, rather than me just trying to scratch out a draw in an endgame.

I'm feeling like my superfun variation. Don't see any deviations for white so lets goooo.

I didn't think this was working. But maybe I missed something.

Heeeere we go.

Ok, I've checked the lines carefully and here's what I found.

30.Qxd3 Qxf2 31.Kh2 Bb6 32.Ng3 wins for White (Rxc3 Nxe4)

30.Qxd3 Qxf2 31.Kh2 Rxc3 32.Qxe4 Bb6 is a draw
30. Qxd3 Qxf2 31.Kh2 Rxc3 32.Rxc3 Qxe1 33.Rc8 is winning
30. Qxd3 Qxf2 31.Kh2 Rxc3 32.Rxc3 Bb6 is critical - now 33.Rc8 Kg7 34.Re3! seems to stop Black's attack.

If Black plays 30.Qxd3 Bb6 then 31.Kh2 transposes after 31...Qxf2, or if 31...Qf32 Ng3 Bf2 33.Re4 Bg3 34.Qg3 Qe4 35.Qg4 and White wins.

I don't really see anything else for Black, so I'll go with Qxd3.

I could also play Ne3, but I think Qxd3 is winning, so I'll play it. If I missed something, oh well.

So I know I need to bore you with the variations I have calculated. However, I feel the real decision is the next move, so for now you will have to do with this kitten:

lkasigh: "30.Qxd3 Qxf2 31.Kh2 Bb6 32.Ng3 wins for White (Rxc3 Nxe4)" Hmmmm, 32.-Rxc3 33.Nxe4 Qxe1 34.Qxc3 Qg1+ 35.Kg3 and yeah it seems like W has everything covered

what if Rxc3 now, w/o Bb6?

edit: I found an answer in lkasigh's last long post. Impressive analysis...