Hikaru vs General_Consensus: game review

20…Bh8 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 44% to 9%.

• White answers 21.Bg5: moving away uncovers the rook on h5, which now hits the h7 pawn.
• Better was 20…f5 (+0.68), which attacks the knight on g4.

Better: 20…f5 stops Rxe5 and threatens …fxg4, winning a bishop for a pawn. After 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Qxe5 Nxe5 23.g4 b3, the queens come off (+0.68).

21.Be3 misses the chance 20…Bh8 gave: 21.Bg5 would have punished it. White's winning chances go from 91% to 79%.

• Black answers 21…c3: a pawn break: it challenges the b2 pawn to open lines.
• Better was 21.Bg5 (+6.41): moving away uncovers the rook on h5, which now hits the h7 pawn.

Better: 21.Bg5 threatens Rxh7, winning a bishop and a pawn. After 21…c3 22.Rxh7 cxb2+ 23.Kb1 Qxc2+ 24.Qxc2 Rxc2 25.Rxh8+ Nxh8 26.Kxc2 Bc6, the queens come off and White comes out two pawns up (+6.41).

21…b3 is a mistake: Black's winning chances go from 21% to 9%.

• White answers 22.Rxh7, which takes the pawn on h7.
• Better was 21…c3 (+3.63): a pawn break: it challenges the b2 pawn to open lines.

Better: 21…c3 threatens …cxb2+, winning a pawn. After 22.b3 Bc6 23.Bxc6 Qxc6 24.Rxh7 e5, the bishops are traded and Black is a pawn down (+3.63).

22.Kb1 misses 22.Rxh7, which wins material. White's winning chances go from 91% to 60%.

• Black answers 22…f5, which attacks the knight on g4.
• Better was 22.Rxh7 (+6.26), which takes the pawn on h7.

Better: 22.Rxh7 threatens Rxh8+, taking the bishop on h8, and stops …bxa2. After 22…Qa5 23.Rxh8+ Nxh8 24.Nf6+ Kf8 25.Nxd7+ Ke7, White comes out two pawns up (+6.26).

25.Bc5+ lets the win slip: 25.c3 kept White winning. White's winning chances go from 72% to 35%.

• Black answers 25…Qxc5, which takes the bishop on c5.
• Better was 25.c3 (+2.60), which takes b4 away from the rook on b8.

Better: 25.c3 stops …Bxb2+. After 25…Re7 26.Bc5 Bc6 27.Bxc6 Qxc6 28.Ng4, the bishops are traded (+2.60).

27.Re5 is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 37% to 10%.

• Black answers 27…Bxe5, which takes the rook on e5.
• The rook on e5 can be taken by the knight on g6 or the bishop on h8.
• After Bxe5, Black wins 5 points of material within 7 moves.
• Better was 27.Nxf7 (−1.48), which takes the pawn on f7.

Better: 27.Nxf7 threatens Nxh8, winning a bishop. After 27…Rxc2+ 28.Nxh8 Rxe2 29.Rxh7 Ne7 30.Ng6+, White is the exchange plus a pawn down (−1.48).

31.Ng4 is a mistake: White's winning chances go from 24% to 13%.

• Black answers 31…Rb8+: the rook takes the open b-file, aiming at the king.
• Better was 31.Ra1 (−3.13): the rook takes the half-open a-file, aiming at the a2 pawn.

Better: 31.Ra1 wins a pawn, picking it up with 32.Kxc3, and threatens Rxa2, winning two pawns. After 31…c3+ 32.Kxc3 Rc8+ 33.Kb4 Bxc2 34.Rxa2 Rc7, White comes out a pawn up (−3.13).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 3…g6: 6 moves in all, 3 by White and 3 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 3…g6: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.