gurelediz vs FairChess_on_YouTube: game review

15.Nhf1! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Attacks the g3 pawn, which is undefended.
• Moves the attacked knight to safety.
• The next best move, 15.Kb1, would drop White's winning chances from 64% to 25% (−3.00).
• 15.Nhf1 gets the knight out of the way of …gxh2 and threatens f4, winning a pawn, picking it up with 16.Nxg3.
• Black was threatening …gxh2, winning a knight. The knight steps away.
• It threatens f4, winning a pawn, picking it up with 16.Nxg3, so Black has to spend the next move on it.

40.Qf4+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The queen forks the king and the pawn: both can't be saved at once.
• Moves the attacked queen to safety.
• The next best move, 40.h7, would drop White's winning chances from 59% to 24% (−3.19).
• 40.Qf4+ forks the king and the pawn.
• Shores up the knight on f3, which was under as much attack as it had defence (1 against 1).
• Black answers 40…Kc6.

41…Rf6! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Attacks the queen.
• Moves the attacked rook to safety.
• The next best move, 41…Re6, would drop Black's winning chances from 68% to 50% (0.00).
• 41…Rf6 wins a pawn, picking it up with 42…Rxh6, and threatens …Rxf4, winning the queen.
• Sets up a sequence and wins a pawn once the captures settle, picking it up with 42…Rxh6.
• It threatens …Rxf4, winning the queen, so White has to spend the next move on it.

48.Qf4+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The queen forks the king and the pawn: both can't be saved at once.
• The queen joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the Black king.
• The next best move, 48.h7, would drop White's winning chances from 73% to 53% (+0.32).
• 48.Qf4+ forks the king and the pawn.
• Protects the knight on g4, which was hanging.
• Black answers 48…Nd6.

49…Rxg4!! A real sacrifice: Black gives up material and the engine still rates it best.

• Puts the rook on g4 where it can be taken.
• Taking is too dangerous: White's best reply is 50.Qxd6+ Kxd6 51.h8=Q Ke7 instead (the engine rates it 0.00).
• Takes the knight on g4.
• Moving away uncovers the bishop on e4, which now hits the h7 pawn.
• 49…Rxg4 wins the queen.
• Takes the knight on g4 and wins the queen once the captures settle.

• The idea: 49…Rxg4!! gives up the rook on g4 to stay in the game: after it Black holds the balance (0.00); anything else leaves Black losing (+6.13).
• What Black gives up: 49…Rxg4 puts the rook on g4 where it can be taken by the queen on f4. That's a whole rook on offer.
• What it does instead: It takes the knight on g4.
• If White takes the rook: 50.Qxg4 is met by 50…Bxh7, taking the h7 pawn. Then 51…Be4 threatens …Bxf3, winning the queen for a bishop, and 52…Kc6 threatens …Bxc2, winning a bishop. Black is a pawn down: Black holds the balance (−0.19).
• White's best try: White's best is to leave the rook alone and play 50.Qxd6+. Black answers 50…Kxd6, taking the queen on d6 and threatening …Bxh7, winning a bishop and a pawn. Then 51…Ke7 threatens …Rxg2+, winning a bishop and a pawn, and 53…Rxg2+ gives check. Black ends up two pawns ahead: Black holds the balance (0.00).
• Without the sacrifice: The best move without the sacrifice, 49…Bxc2, is clearly weaker (+6.13 against 0.00). White answers 50.Rxc2, taking the bishop on c2 and threatening Rxa2, winning the queen for a knight. That would leave Black losing.

50…Bxh7! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Takes the pawn on h7.
• Leaves White with an isolated pawn on g2: a long-term weakness.
• The next best move, 50…Bf5, would drop Black's winning chances from 52% to 7% (+7.06).
• 50…Bxh7 wins a pawn.
• Takes the h7 pawn and wins a pawn once the captures settle.
• White answers 51.Qf4, pinning the knight on d6 to the king.

68.Bxf5! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Takes the pawn on f5.
• The next best move, 68.Ba4, would drop White's winning chances from 89% to 65% (+1.70).
• 68.Bxf5 wins a pawn.
• Takes the f5 pawn and wins a pawn once the captures settle.
• Black answers 68…Nc7.
• After 68…Nc7 69.Ka3 Ke7 70.Bxe6 Nxe6 71.Kb4, the bishops are traded and White comes out a pawn up (+4.48).

72.Ka3! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The next best move, 72.Rg6, would drop White's winning chances from 85% to 70% (+2.24).
• 72.Ka3 prepares Kb4 and Ka5.
• The engine's plan continues with Kb4 and Ka5: this move is the first step.
• Black answers 72…Ne6.
• Engine line: 72…Ne6 73.Kb4 Ke7 74.Ka5 Ng5 75.Rh5 (+4.19).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 6…Nd7: 12 moves in all, 6 by White and 6 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 6…Nd7: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.