Artiom Stribuk vs Pranav Anand: game review

18…Qc8! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Moves the attacked queen to safety.
• The next best move, 18…Rc8, would drop Black's winning chances from 59% to 45% (+0.52).
• 18…Qc8 gets the queen out of the way of Bxd8.
• White was threatening Bxd8, winning the queen for a bishop. The queen steps away.
• White answers 19.Nd5, winning a bishop for a pawn.
• After 19.Nd5 Bd6 20.Rxa1 Bxc7 21.Nxc7 Rxb2 22.d5, the bishops are traded and Black is two pawns down (−0.96).

22…Nxb3 is a mistake: Black's winning chances go from 71% to 53%.

• White answers 23.axb3, which takes the knight on b3.
• After axb3, White wins 3 points of material within 2 moves.
• Better was 22…Qd7 (−2.47): connects the rooks: development is complete and they can now support each other.

Better: 22…Qd7 connects the rooks and activates the queen. After 23.Rxa1 Rbc8 24.Bb7 Qxc7 25.Bxc8 Qxc8 26.Qxc8 Rxc8 27.Re1, the queens come off and Black is two pawns down (−2.47).

25.Bf1! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Moves the attacked bishop to safety.
• The next best move, 25.Bh1, would drop White's winning chances from 50% to 37% (−1.48).
• 25.Bf1 gets the bishop out of the way of …fxg2.
• Black was threatening …fxg2, winning the queen for a rook. The bishop steps away.
• Black answers 25…Nd7, winning a pawn.
• After 25…Nd7 26.Qa5 Rxb3 27.Ne6 Re8 28.Ng5 Rxe1 29.Qxe1 Rb6, the rooks are traded and White is a pawn down (0.00).

29.Re7! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The rook reaches the seventh rank, where 3 pawns sit and the king is cut off on the back rank.
• Attacks the queen.
• The next best move, 29.d6, would drop White's winning chances from 44% to 25% (−3.03).
• 29.Re7 threatens Rxd7, winning the queen for a rook, and stops …Rxc7.
• It threatens Rxd7, winning the queen for a rook, so Black has to spend the next move on it.
• Black was threatening …Rxc7, winning the queen for a rook. Re7 takes care of it.

31.b5! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Gains space: the pawn on b5 cramps Black's pieces behind it.
• The next best move, 31.d6, would drop White's winning chances from 51% to 33% (−1.93).
• 31.b5 stops …Qxb4.
• Black was threatening …Qxb4, winning a pawn. b5 takes care of it.
• The engine's plan continues with Re6 and Re3: this move is the first step.
• Black answers 31…Qd1, pinning the bishop on f1 to the king, leaving White with an isolated pawn on b5.

32.bxa6 is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 51% to 12%.

• Black answers 32…Qd1, which pins the bishop on f1 to the king: it can't move at all.
• Better was 32.d6 (+0.14), which pushes the passed pawn to d6, close to promotion.

Better: 32.d6 threatens d7, winning a pawn, picking it up with 33.Nxa6, and pushes the passed pawn to d6. Engine line: 32…Rxb5 33.Qc4 Rbb8 34.d7 Rd8 35.Nxa6 Ra8 (+0.14).

32…Ne4 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 88% to 11%.

• White answers 33.Qe3, which attacks the f3 pawn, which is undefended.
• Better was 32…Qd1 (−5.40), which pins the bishop on f1 to the king: it can't move at all.

Better: 32…Qd1 pins the bishop on f1 to the king. After 33.Qc4 Rb1 34.d6 Qxd6 35.Qf7 Rg8, Black comes out a pawn up (−5.40).

33.Qe3! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Attacks the f3 pawn, which is undefended.
• Moves the attacked queen to safety.
• The next best move, 33.Qc4, would drop White's winning chances from 89% to 8% (−6.47).
• 33.Qe3 stops the mate threat …Qxf1+.
• Black was threatening …Qxf1+, with mate in 3. Qe3 takes care of it.
• Black answers 33…Rb4, leaving White with an isolated pawn on a7.

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 10…Bf5: 20 moves in all, 10 by White and 10 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 10…Bf5: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.