gurelediz vs Jacoobsen: game review

19…Rxf3!! A real sacrifice: Black gives up material and the engine still rates it best.

• Puts the rook on f3 where it can be taken.
• White can take, but after 20.gxf3 Qh4 21.f4 Rf8 the engine rates it 0.00.
• Takes the knight on f3.
• 19…Rxf3 takes the knight on f3.
• White answers 20.gxf3, winning the exchange.
• After 20.gxf3 Qh4 21.f4 Rf8 22.Bf1 Rxf4 23.Rbc1, Black is a pawn down (0.00).

• The idea: 19…Rxf3!! offers the rook on f3. Taking it still leaves Black level.
• What Black gives up: 19…Rxf3 puts the rook on f3 where it can be taken by the g2 pawn. That's a whole rook on offer.
• What it does instead: It takes the knight on f3.
• If White takes the rook: 20.gxf3 is met by 20…Qh4, attacking the h3 pawn, which is undefended. Then 21…Rf8 threatens …Bxh3, winning a pawn, and 22…Rxf4 takes the f4 pawn. Black is a pawn down: Black holds the balance (−0.29). This is White's best try.

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 5.Qc2: 9 moves in all, 5 by White and 4 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 5.Qc2: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.