1.e4 d5 My opponent thought for a few minutes before playing this, so must have been considering other defences for black too. I had no idea what to expect. 2.exd5 c6 I hadn't done any research on this move before to my recollection. I decided in the end to take the advice "the way to refute a gambit is to accept it"; this was especially the case since it is a counter gambit by black, so it shouldn't be as dangerous as accepting a gambit pawn with the black pieces. 3.dxc6 It appears to be relatively rare to accept this gambit judging by my database, although in a search between 1990 and 2011 with games between players both graded 2100+, white won most games (+8 =1 -2). In conclusion from the analysis below, I would say white's only decent options, (as far as I can see), are either tranposing into a Caro Kann exchange variation or accepting the gambit, so that's a bit of advice to anyone who has this played against them. [I considered 3.d4 but didn't really want to play the resulting position after 3...cxd5 where it is a Caro Kann exchange variation and white can choose between the Panov Attack (undoubtedly the most critical) or a quiet move like Bd6 or Nf3. I didn't fancy playing the Panov and felt the others were too soft, so decided to accept the gambit. 4.c4 Panov(4.Bd3 quieter exchange variation) ; 3.c4 cxd5 4.d4 Panov(4.cxd5 an alternative) ; 3.Nf3 is another alternative not immediately transposing into a Caro Kann exchange variation, e.g. 3...cxd5 4.Ne5 An sideline type move, the position of which has occured in a fair few games in the db although almost always with the move order 1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ne5. This must be a perfectly legit opening as it has been played quite a few times against strong players. The star game in player level must be Morozevich (2741) vs Bareev (2709) in 2005 which Morozevich won, (although it was a blindfold game in the Amber tournament). In conclusion this is a sound try, but doesn't look at all critical. (4.Bb5+ I can find only 4 games for this between strong players after 1990, and with 3 wins for black and one draw - one of the black wins by a player called Pavel Zangiev, sharing a name with a famous Street Fighter 2 character!. The latter game started as follows: 4...Bd7 5.Nc3 Bxb5 6.Nxb5 Nc6 7.0–0 e6 8.d4 a6 9.Nc3) 4...e6 5.d4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Qb6 7.c4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Nge7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Na4 Qd8 12.Qc2 Bd6 13.Re1 Qc7 14.Bd2 Nf5 15.Nf3 dxc4 16.Qxc4 a5 17.Nc5 Qb6 18.Rac1 h6 19.b3 Rd8 20.Qc2 Bf8 21.Be3 Rd5 22.h3 Qb5 23.Na4 Bb4 24.Red1 Bb7 25.a3 Bxa3 26.Nc3 Nxe3 27.fxe3 Bxc1 28.Nxb5 Bxe3+ 29.Kh1 Rxb5 30.Qe4 Bg5 31.Nxg5 Rxg5 32.Rd2 Rf5 33.Qe3 Rd5 34.Qf4 Rd7 35.Qe5 Rd5 36.Qc7 Rb5 37.Rd3 Rc8 38.Qd7 Rf8 39.Kh2 Ba8 40.Rc3 Rb7 41.Qd6 Rbb8 42.Rg3 Rb5 43.Qe7 Rf5 44.Qh4 Kh8 45.Qe7 Kg8 46.Kg1 g6 47.Qa7 Rd8 48.Qc7 h5?? The evaluation was about equal here but Bareev no doubt had a blind spot as it was a blindfold game 49.Qxd8+ 1–0; 3.d6 a strange looking position, only finding 9 games with the same search criteria, all of which white either drew or lost, (the position was reached in all of the games on the database from the move order 1.e4 c6 2.e5 d5 3.exd6 or 2..e6 3.exd6 (a stupid looking way to play against the Caro Kann (or any opening for that matter) imo); white practically gives black the move, e.g. Sergey Vokarev (2462) played it against Dreev (2639) in 1999 and the game was drawn: 3...exd6 4.d4 d5 5.Nf3 Bd6 6.Bd3 Ne7 etc; maybe white was playing for a draw 7.0–0 0–0 8.Re1 Bf5 9.Bg5 Bg6 A kind of stupid looking position where both players are exactly equal in development and neither player seems to have the move as it were (it's white's move but can't do anything critical evidently).] 3...Nxc6 4.Nf3 [or 4.Nc3 ] 4...e5 [4...Bg4 5.Be2] 5.Bb5 there are sound alternatives but this looks the most critical 5...Bd6 good move, addressing the threat of Nxe5 6.Nc3 [6.d4 allows for unclear complications (I think) 6...exd4 (6...e4 7.Ne5 (7.Qe2) ) 7.Qxd4 Qe7+ 8.Be3 Nf6 9.Nc3; 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 is an option; 6.0–0 is fine but I was concerned about the bishop pin on g4, which could be anoying practically speaking 6...Bg4 actually the engines think it is weak: 7.h3 Fritz likes this, e.g. (Crafty likes 7.d4 exd4 (7...e4 is apparently bad after 8.Re1 Nf6 9.Bg5 Bxf3 10.Qxf3) 8.Qxd4 Bxf3 9.Qe3+ Nge7 10.Qxf3) 7...Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Rc8 9.d4 exd4 10.Nd2] 6...Nge7 [or 6...Nf6 e.g. 7.d3 0–0 8.0–0 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 (9...Bxf3 10.Qxf3) 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Ne4 Qe7] 7.h3 I decided to spend the time to prevent Bg4. The machine likes to castle immediately and doesn't worry about this pin. 7...0–0 8.0–0 a6 [alternatively 8...Nf5 e.g. 9.Re1 Nfd4 10.Bxc6 Nxc6 11.d3] 9.Bc4 [9.Ba4 is not as good as black can ignore the bishop (instead of playing b5 and forcing it on to the strong a2 g8 diagonal) and leave it on this slightly harmless diagonal. It could be argued that the bishop is defended by the knight here but on c4 is undefended, but there appears to be no exposure to tactics in the immediate future.] 9...b5 a good move I think, continuing speedy development [F likes 9...Bf5 ; 9...Na5 10.Bd3 (10.Bb3 Nxb3 11.axb3 is ok too) 10...Nac6 11.Re1] 10.Bb3 Bb7 [10...Be6 doesn't seem in the spirit of the position, as black should probably keep material on and create threats to justify the pawn gambit 11.d3 F suggests this(11.Bxe6 fxe6 12.Ne4 looks good for white I think) ] 11.d3 Black has played quite nicely in the opening in my opinion, and perhaps got a little more development compensation that I vouched for when accepting the gambit. (Fritz evaluates as slightly over half a pawn to white). [11.Ne4 is a possibility, but I decided it might be tempting fate to procrastinate my development when my opponent is fully developed with all of his minor pieces and has open files for the heavy pieces etc. 11...Na5 F1. e.g. (11...Bc7 I thought white may have been attacking the bishop for no good reason after this, but now Nc5 is surpringly anoying 12.Nc5 Bc8 avoiding the trade with the knight) 12.d3 Nxb3 13.axb3 Nf5 looks fine for white, although black has some compensation in space and bishop pair, and potential weakness of white's queenside pawns] 11...Kh8?? I didn't see the error of this immediately, but within a few seconds I sensed that my opponent had left me something (I could smell blood?) and I saw that Ng5 is crushing when looking through black's responses to this. At first I though black could play Qe8, but after Qh5 the white pieces are coordinating perfectly and mate is threatened on h7 as well as another attacker added to f7. Black's move is logical strategically, breaking the pin on the f7 pawn and preparing f5, but for this particular plan h6 should be played first, then Kh8 and f5. [e.g. 11...h6 12.Ne4 The plan to push f5 doesn't really work out, and black has to be careful of tactics. 12...Nf5 is the best option according to Fa) 12...Kh8?? 13.Nfg5 f5 14.Ne6 (14.Nf7+ also wins, 14...Rxf7 15.Nxd6 Qxd6 16.Bxf7) 14...Qd7 15.Qh5 (cashing in the exchange straight away also wins, e.g. 15.Nxf8 Rxf8 16.Nxd6 Qxd6 17.c3 (a fairly similar position to the game)) 15...f4 a1) 15...fxe4? 16.Bxh6 there is no defence, e.g. 16...Nf5 17.Bxg7+ Kg8 18.Ng5+ Kxg7 19.Qh7+ Kf6 20.Nxe4#; a2) 15...Rg8 16.Bxh6 g6 (16...Ng6 17.Bxg7#) 17.Bg7#; 16.Nxf8 Rxf8 17.c3; b) 12...Kh7 is even worse than 12..Kh8 13.Nfg5+ Kh8 b1) 13...hxg5 leads to forced mate 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Nxg5 Re8 16.Qxf7+ (16.Qh7+ is not as neat 16...Kf8 17.Ne6+ (17.Qh8+? is still easily winning for white but the king slips immediate mate 17...Ng8 e.g. 18.Nh7+ Ke7) 17...fxe6 18.Bxe6 Bc7 19.Bg5 now any move and Qh8+ Ng8 Qxg8# as the e7 square is covered by the g5 bishop, e.g. 19...Bd6 20.Qh8+ Ng8 21.Qxg8#) 16...Kh8 17.Qh5#; b2) if black trys something silly like 13...Kg6 then 14.Ng3 in fact here only Nd5 avoids a forced mate according to Crafty 14...Nd5 b21) 14...Kf6 leads to mate in 10! The exact mate would take extreme virtuosity to see through to the end from this position, (in fact it may be in the category of being too complicated for any human to solve), but obviously for the engines it is trivial. 15.N5e4+ Kg6 forced 16.Qh5+ Kh7 forced 17.Nf6+ Kh8 (17...gxf6 18.Bxh6 Nd5 the mate from here should be quite easy to find 19.Bg7+ not 19.Bxf8+ ; 19.Bg5+ still mates but not as quickly 19...Kg8 20.Bxd5 Nd4 21.Bh6 Ne2+ 22.Nxe2 Kh8 23.Bxf8+ (23.Bg5+ Kg8 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Qh6+ Kg8 26.Ng3 Re8 (26...fxg5 27.Nh5 Bxd5 28.Qg7#) 27.Qg6+ Kh8 28.Bxf7 Be4 29.Nxe4 fxg5 30.Qh6#) 23...Kg8 24.Qxf7+ Kh8 25.Qg7#; 19.Nf5 is good too 19...Nf4 20.Bxf4+ Kg8 21.Qh6 exf4 22.Qg7#; 19...Kxg7 20.Nf5+ Kg8 21.Qh6 e4 22.Qg7#) 18.Bxh6 Ng8 19.Bxg7+ Kxg7 20.Nf5+ Kxf6 21.h4 e4 22.Qg5+ Ke5 23.f4+ exf3 24.Rae1#; b22) 14...Nf5 15.Qh5+ Kf6 16.Nxf5 (the only move for forced mate) 16...e4 16...g6 17.Ne4#; 16...Kxf5 17.Ne4+ (17.Nh7+ Qg5 18.g4#; 17.Qf3+ Kg6 18.Bxf7+ Rxf7 19.Qxf7#; 17.Nxf7+ Kf6 18.Bg5+ hxg5 19.Qxg5#) 17...Qg5 18.g4#; 17.Nxe4+ Ke5 18.f4#; b23) 14...Nc8; ; 14.Nxf7+ Rxf7 15.Bxf7 Ng8; ] 12.Ng5 The game should technically be over now as white forces the win of a pawn and exchange, (bringing the total material advantage to 2 pawns and an exchange or 4 pawns abstractly, and black only has minimal compensation in the form of development and space), however the technical phase of a game can be difficult as every chess player knows and it is amazing what kinds of counterplay and complications can be drummed up by the defender. Crafty gives black a huge numer of replies ranging between 3.7 and 4.9 pawns evaluation in favour of white. 12...g6 Looking through the alternatives demonstrates how the attacking motifs latent in the position can work [12...Nf5 13.Nxf7+; 12...Nd4 13.Qh5 (F doesn't like taking immediately as much 13.Nxf7+ Rxf7 14.Bxf7 Qc7 black has potentially dangerous counterplay although white should still be fine) 13...h6 14.Nxf7+ Rxf7 15.Qxf7; 12...Ng8 13.Nxf7+ Rxf7 14.Bxf7 Nf6 15.Ne4; 12...f5 is perhaps a good try as if white plays automatcially with Nf7+, black can get quite strong potential for counterplay: 13.Nf7+ (13.Nxh7! the right move 13...Nd4 a) obviously 13...Kxh7 14.Qh5#; b) attempting to save the rook from being taken leads to mate 13...Re8 14.Qh5 Ng8 b1) 14...g6 15.Qh4 f4 b11) 15...Ng8 16.Ng5+ Kg7 17.Qh7+ Kf8 (17...Kf6 18.Qf7#) 18.Qf7#; b12) 15...g5 16.Nxg5+ Kg7 17.Ne6+ (17.Qh7+ is the simplest 17...Kf6 (17...Kf8 18.Qf7#) 18.Qf7#) 17...Kg8 18.Qf6 Nd5 19.Qg7#; 16.Ng5+ b11) or 16.Nf8+ Kg7 17.Ne6+ (17.Qh7+ Kf6 (17...Kxf8 18.Qf7#) 18.Ne4+ Kf5 19.Qf7#) 17...Kg8 18.Qf6 Nf5 19.Ng5+ (19.Qxg6+ is not as good 19...Kh8 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Ng5+ Kg7 22.Qh7+ Kf6 23.Nce4#) 19...Re6 20.Bxe6#; b12) 16.Nf6+ Kg7 17.Qh7+ Kxf6 18.Ne4+ Kf5 19.Qf7#; 16...Kg7 17.Qh7+ Kf6 18.Nce4+ Kf5 19.Qf7# neat; b2) 14...g5; 15.Nf8+ Nh6 16.Bxh6 e.g. 16...g5 17.Bxg5+ Kg7 18.Qh6#; 14.Nxf8 Qe8 (14...Qxf8 15.Qh5#) 15.Be6 Nec6 16.Bd5 Bxf8 17.a3 Be7 18.Be3 Rb8 19.Re1 Rd8 20.b4 Rd6 21.g3 g5 22.Bg2 a pretty insane kind of position and how a typical human way of playing (F+3.5)) 13...Rxf7 14.Bxf7 example line: 14...Qd7 15.Bg5 Nd4 16.a3 Bc5 17.Kh1 Ng6 18.Bxg6 Qc6 19.f3 Qxg6 20.Be3 Rc8; 12...h6 13.Nxf7+; 12...Bc8 13.Nxf7+; 12...f6 13.Nxh7 is on again (13.Nf7+ also good 13...Rxf7 14.Bxf7) 13...Nd4 14.Nxf8 the knight is toxic yet again 14...Nxb3 (14...Qxf8 15.Qh5#) 15.Ne6 Qd7 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.Qg4 Nf5; 12...Qd7 13.Qh5 is best (13.Nxf7+ Rxf7 14.Bxf7) 13...h6 14.Nxf7+ Rxf7 15.Qxf7; 12...Rc8 13.Qh5; 12...b4 13.Qh5 h6 14.Nce4 (or 14.Nxf7+ Rxf7 15.Bxf7 Ng8 e.g. (if 15...bxc3 then 16.Bxh6 g6 17.Bxg6 Nxg6 18.Bg5+ Kg7 19.Qh6+ Kf7 20.Qh7+ Kf8 21.Bxd8) 16.Ne4 Nd4 17.Bxg8 Bxe4 18.dxe4 Kxg8 19.Qg6 Kh8 20.Be3) ; 12...Nb4 13.Qh5; 12...Ra7 13.Qh5; 12...Ng6 13.Qh5 h6 14.Nxf7+ Rxf7 15.Bxf7 Nf4 16.Bxf4 exf4 17.Rfe1; 12...Bc7 13.Qh5; 12...Bb8 13.Qh5; 12...Na5 13.Qh5] 13.Nxf7+ Rxf7 14.Bxf7 Qf8 Pretty much as good as anything. 15.Ne4 Quite a nice move I think; I thought about just retreating the bishop but I liked the look of this knight move and checked carefully for any unexpected tactics. Playing Bb3 is just as good but I saw no reason not to play this knight move as I felt at the time it was the strongest positionally, and I decided to have confidence in my play and not always play it safe in fear of blundering; also this kind of confident move could make an opponent feel even more helpless from a psychological point of view. [15.Bb3 would probably have been just as good] 15...Nf5 [F suggests 15...Bc7 but it doesn't really make any difference] 16.Nxd6 This is probably not technically the strongest move but I was happy to trade off one of the black bishops and in my opinion substantially reduce the risk of dangerous counterplay against my king [F recommends 16.Bd5 e.g. 16...Rd8 17.c4 but from a practical point of view I want to simplify the position if possible and reduce the chance of missing tactics] 16...Qxd6 I thought for a little while here, working out how best to develop the rest of my position. I was almost committed to developing my bishop when it suddenly struck me that all the lines that were causing me problems were based on one or other of the knights using the d4 square, and c3 is a killer prophilactic move totally taking this away from black 17.c3! I'm very happy with this simple prophilactic move; it does a lot more to weather the storm than developing my bishop and is a real pain for black who is trying to drum up threats [17.Be3 and then for example 17...Ncd4 18.Bxd4 (18.c3 it is too late to play c3 without things getting very complicated and messy 18...Bxg2 19.cxd4 (19.Kxg2? Qc6+ 20.Kh2 Nf3+ 21.Kh1 Rf8 F's first choice(21...N3h4+ is about equal according to F 22.f3 Nxe3 23.Qe1 Nhf5 a very unpleasant position and white will probaby be fighting for a draw here(not 23...Nxf1?? 24.Qxe5+! Qf6 25.Qxf6#) ) ) 19...Bxf1 e.g. 20.Qxf1 Rf8! 21.Bb3 Nxe3 22.Qe1 Nf5 (F +1 approx)) 18...exd4 19.Bb3 Nh4 black has some pretty nasty counterplay; although the computer says white is winning without problem with nearly +3, it certainly isn't the carefree conversion of the game that white wanted 20.Re1 Rf8 white has to defend very accurately and resourcefully since black is up massively on attacking material around the king, (the bishop on b3 isn't doing anything to help at the moment and would probably have to go to e6 to help) 21.Qg4 Nxg2 22.Qe6 Qc7 white is winning technically but it is messys; exactly the kind of thing that 17.c3 stopped(22...Qf4 is harmless because of 23.Qe5+) ] 17...Rf8 a good move under the circumstances I think; piling up as much pressure on the white king's position is black's best chance 18.Bb3 A saw if there was a tactical alternative to this retreat, but it is the only good move 18...Na5 as good as any of the alternatives from what I gather. I spent a long time now working out how to proceed and was unhappy about the problems or potential for counterplay with most of the candidate moves I was looking at; e.g. I thought about developing the bishop to e3, and this would have been ok, but I wasn't happy about my development in general and felt it was a bit out of sync, e.g. after Nh4. I looked at g4 to shoo the knight away but this is terrible after Nh4. I thought about opening the centre with d4 (and this would have been ok too) but had reservations about giving up central control after exd4 cxd4 Nxd4, but it turns out cxd4 is wrong as I will show in the variation, and also Nxd4 would have been wrong anyway, (giving up the pawn with 19.d4 would have been ok though). I thought about an immediately f3 but was very unhappy about Ng3 and having to spend a tempo moving the rook, then not being able to rid the knight after e4 with the queen defending, (and hideous threats of sacrifices with the rook and bishop; in fact he rook, bishop, knight, and queen are a razor sharp weapon pointing at the king when coordinated and with more attackers than defenders, so white has to be very careful). Ironically it turns out that f3 Ng3 was harmless (technically) and that black can't really do much with it. I also considered things like f4 just to see if it was any good but thought that after Ng3 the king is now more exposed and the f file opening may favour black; actually according to Fritz f4 is not all that bad, but I wanted to avoid complications. This was the kind of anoying position with lots of possible candidate moves and a feeling of not being able to waste time or I could get in trouble, and none of the candidate moves quite seemed to work. I considered Qe2, (having looked at it already I think and dismissed it or carried on checking other moves), and realised it actually avoided all the drawbacks of the other moves and was solid, not giving up material, as well as furthering development and improving my defence of the king, and I played this, having used about half or more of my remaining time on this move, (having about 10 minutes for the remaining 10 moves before the time control, which I was not proud of and felt foolish to have got into moderate time trouble with a position where my opponent could create tactical threats and that I would still have to play accurately, however in retrospect I think it was worth spending this time as white's position is easier once it is made and probably would not have been as easy otherwise. (One other move I considered before I saw that Qe2 was good was Qg4, giving up the d pawn if black wants to take it, and putting the queen on the active d file and to continue development. This would have been an alright move too according to Fritz.) 19.Qe2 [19.Qg4 e.g. 19...Nxb3 20.axb3 Qxd3 21.Rd1 Qc2 22.Rd7 Bc6 23.Rd2 Qxb3 24.Rxa6 looks pretty good for white but a 'trickier' position than white wants when down on time and trying ti convert an advantage as clearly as possible; 19.d4? I give this a question mark because black can generate some very dangerous tactical threats in positions that can follow, and it is also much weaker than Qe2 19...exd4 20.Qg4 (not 20.cxd4 Bxg2! a very nasy tactic (an example of the kind of move I was trying to avoid by playing prophilactically) (20...Nxd4 is harmless 21.Be3) 21.Re1 (21.Kxg2?? loses 21...Nh4+ 22.Kg1 (22.Kh1 Nf3) 22...Nf3+ threatening Qh2# 23.Qxf3 Rxf3 the position is hopeless for white) 21...Nxb3 22.axb3 Nh4 23.f4 F says it's about even but it is horrible for white and he will now be content even to draw) 20...Nxb3 21.axb3; 19.g4?? a terrible move, e.g. 19...Nxb3 20.axb3 Qd5 21.f3 Nh4 22.Bh6 Nxf3+; 19.f3 this was a decent alternative 19...Ng3 20.Re1 is apparently harmless; the knight is cosy but isn't going to do much; e.g. 20...Nxb3 21.axb3 Kg7 22.b4; 19.Be3 this was also a solid alternative, although isn't quite as safe as the game move e.g. 19...Nxb3 20.axb3 Qd5 this looks a bit scary as white cannot play f3 due to Nxe3, but Qg4 is fine here 21.Qg4 Qxb3 22.Qb4; 19.Bg5 a pretty decent alternative also; perhaps the best alternative to Qe2, e.g. 19...Nxb3 20.axb3 h6 21.Bc1; 19.Bc2 a very solid move according to F. I did look at this move in some positions around this part of the game but didn't decide upon it, probably because I felt it didn't do much to advance white's development of the queenside in case I needed those pieces to help defend. E.g.: 19...Nh4 20.f3 Nf5 21.Qe1; 19.Re1 allowys unnecessary complications 19...Nh4 20.Bh6 a convoluted and tactical continuation a) 20.Qe2 Rf5 21.f3 Bxf3 22.gxf3 Nxf3+ 23.Kh1 Nxe1 24.Qxe1 Qxd3 unpleasant tactics; white is treading on thin ice and has to find only moves 25.Kg2 (25.Kh2? Nxb3 26.axb3 Rf1 27.Qxe5+ Kg8 white has to take the perpetual check) 25...Nc4 26.Bd1; b) 20.f3?? Nxb3 21.axb3 e4 22.f4 (22.dxe4 Qg3 23.Re2 Nxf3+ 24.Kf1 Nh4+ 25.Kg1 Kg8 black is technically winning) ; c) 20.g3?? Nf3+ 21.Kf1 Nh2+ 22.Kg1 Nxb3 23.axb3 Qe6 24.g4 Qf6 25.Qe2 Nf3+ 26.Kf1 Qh4 27.Qe3 Qxh3+ 28.Ke2 Qxg4 29.Kd1 Nxe1+ 30.Kxe1 Qg1+ 31.Ke2 Bf3+ 32.Qxf3 Rxf3 33.Kxf3; 20...Rf5 (20...Bxg2 is no good 21.Bxf8 (21.Qg4 g5 22.Bxf8 Qxf8 23.Qe6) 21...Qxf8) ] 19...Nh4 I didn't spend long on f3 here, realising it's unlikely black can cause any real problems after that (and making sure I reserved some of the little time I had left just in case I needed for any moves before move 30). [the tactical attempt 19...Bxg2 doesn't lead to anything. 20.Kxg2 Nh4+ 21.Kh1 (21.Kg1? Nf3+ 22.Kg2 black has nothing better than repeating moves hoping white will go for threefold repetition 22...Nh4+ 23.Kh1; 21.Kh2 is losing for white 21...e4+ 22.Kh1 Nf3) 21...Qf6 white can defend with 22.Bd5 Nc6 23.Qe4 Perhaps under the circumstances a move like 19..Bxg2 would have been good for black to give white more chance to make a mistake] 20.f3 It's interesting how two of the best moves that I played to 'counter' black's counterplay were two subtle pawn moves which had prophilactic effect and blunted black's threats. There is not much left for black now. [20.Bh6 is possible but allows black completely unnecessary counterplay, e.g. 20...Rf3 21.d4 Nasty complications that would have been completely unnecessary(not 21.gxf3?? Nxf3+ 22.Kg2 (or 22.Qxf3 ) 22...Nd4+ 23.Qe4 Nf5 24.Qxb7 Nxb7 25.Be3 which is probably better for black. A remarkable material type imbalance, to which someone who had never seen chess before would not be able to imagine what was going on; black has two knights and a queen; a very maneuvrable and dangerous combination of pieces, and white has two rooks and two bishops with one extra pawn (one of which hanging); which is technically up a bit in material but black certainly looks better and has much more chance to create problems for his opponent who has the the predictable bishops and rooks, which cannot really hide their threats.) ; 20.f4 is also fine] 20...Nf5 threatening Ng3; there isn't really anything else [F plays 20...Nxb3 21.axb3 Kg7; 20...Nxg2 this attempt at causing tactical problems does nothing 21.Kxg2 (or 21.Qxg2 is fine too) ; 20...Nxf3+ does nothing either, e.g. 21.gxf3 Qf6 22.Bd1 Bc8 23.h4 Bh3 24.Bg5 Qd6 25.Re1 Nc6 26.Bh6 Rg8 27.Bb3 Be6 28.f4 Qd7 29.Bg5] 21.Re1 a nice (albeit easy to find) move which prevents black playing Ng3 or anything like that by threatening Qxe5 forcing a queen trade 21...Nc6 as good as anything 22.Be3 [F suggests 22.a4 but I am playing purely to blunt my opponent's attacking chances if possible and keep things simple, (there is not much difference in evaluation according to F either, otherwise I'd perhaps reconsider that. 22...b4 23.Bc4 Kg7 24.Rb1 all looks a bit pointless to me when white should just simplify] 22...Ng3 this is harmless, and also is a tactical blunder as black now loses a piece [F suggests 22...Na5 but white's position is now comfortable in my opinion 23.Rad1 Nxb3 24.axb3 it should be a proverbial piece of cake to convert this advantage of a pawn and the exchange now] 23.Qf2 threatening the g3 knight and threatening to skewer the black queen and rook with Bc5, (F gives eval about +7). Black resigns. 1–0
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