I feel like a trapped animal in a cage.

I'm expecting him to move his bishop to d2 to take my pawn and attack my queen and rook. I'd like to be able to attack his d4 pawn but by moving my queen to d6 to do so, I'm pushed back by e5 straight away? At least he can't move up his rook to a4 now but I'm struggling to come up with any weakness where I can attack without giving up some pieces or leaving myself wide open :/

I did not immediately realize if 18. ...Rfd8 had a point beyond simple development. Maybe it's because I'm tired, maybe because I have just been completely owned by gambit in blitz (it was pornographic stuff) but I didn't realize right away he was protecting himself against 19. Bxd7 and 20. Qxb4.

Anyway, I think I should be winning a pawn now, and things are going according to the big analysis I posted before. I think. Getting destroyed like that in blitz will do a kick to your self-confidence.

Oh, by the way, I could have also tried to grab the pawn with 19. Bd2. I did not because I forgot that 19. ...Qd6 is met with 20. Qd4 and the d4-pawn is protected

****

20. Qxb4 and not 20. Qd4 in the last spoiler, obviously.

welp, I wish he didn't do that

My immediate reaction was that 19. ...Rbc8 prepared a ...Rc2 invasion after 20. Qxb4 Qxb4 21. Rxb4, but I do not think there is such:



He is probably preparing 21. ...e5 22. d5 f5 or 22. ...Nxc5. This might appear impossible due to 22. Bxd7 Rxd7 23. dxe5 Rc2 (if 23. ...Re7, then 24. Bd4 and 25. Bc3 seals the c-file):



Yes, I'm two Pawns up and his Bishop is still bad, but he has gained the 2nd rank, one of my pawns is doubled and the Bishops are still opposite-coloured.

This leads me to wonder on whether I can correct the mistake of not playing 19. Bd2 by playing it on the now, even though I look ridiculous for doing so (and so does my silly Rook on a4).

I was very happy after of the position that arises after 20. Bd2 Qd6 21. Qxb4 Qxb4 22. Bb4:



when the pair of Bishops dominate and Black may neither play 22. ...e5 23. Be7 nor 22. ...Rc2 23. Be7.

Various Knight retreats in order to put the Pawn on d4 under fire do not appear to work, either. For example, 20. ...Nf6 is met with 21. Bxb4 Qc7 22. Bc3, setting Rc4. However, 20. ...Qd6 21. Qxb4 Qb8 seems to be the fly in the ointment, and the Rook on a4 starts to show its true nature:

.

He is planning to play 22. ...e5 and 23. ...f5 or 23. ...Nc5. I can prevent the former with 23. Qb3 e5 24. d5? prevents 24. ...f5 but, of course, I lose the exchange after 24. ...Nc5.

So in that case, it is probably time to bite the bullet. 23. Be3 e5 24. d5.



23. ...f5 appears to be bad because of 24. Qe7, attacking the Knight.
The only defence seems to be 24. ...Nf8:

i) 24. ...Nf6 is met by 24. Bxh6.

ii) 24. ...Rc7 25. Qe6+ Kh8 26. d6, and the Rock is trapped. 26. ...Nf8, 26. ...Bg8 and 26. ...Re8 are all met with 27. dxc7).

iii) 24. ...f4 25. Bxd7 fxe3 26. Be6+ Kh8 27. Bxc8.

iv) 24. ...Qc7 25. Rc4 Qb8 26. Rfc1. 26. ...Nf8 drops a Pawn in e5 after two exchanges in c8; 26. ...Nf6 is countered by 27. Qe6+, and 27. ...Rxc4 28. Rxc4 Nf6 loses to 29. Rc7, and the threat of checkmate in g7 will cost Black a piece.

Unfortunately, I cannot find an outright win after 24. ...Nf8, but I believe I am better after 25. Bc6 (25. Qb7 looks nice but Black does not have to take the Queen).



My idea here is to plan the Bishop in b7 and eventually sac the Bishop in b6.

So I think Black is better off with 23. ...Nc5. After 24. Bxc5 Rxc5 25. Bc6 f5 26. Raa1 Black does not seem to have enough counterplay.



For instance, if Black tries to awaken the Bishop with 26. ...fxe4 27. fxe4 Rc2, he gets rebuffed with 27. Qb3, because 27. ...Bxe4 is met with 28. d6+

24. ...bxc5 worries me, though. The Bishop on b5 starts to become awkward to deal with. After 25. Qc4



...I plan to meet every move with 26. Bc6.

26. Bc6 happens even if Black plays 25. ...f5. 26. d6+ Kh8 27. d7 Rc7 28. Qe2[/b] (28. Qd3? c4!) leaves my Queen out of play, my Bishop hanging on a thread and my Rook needlessly sitting on a4.