Parhamov vs nihalsarin: game review

26.fxe4 is a mistake: White's winning chances go from 51% to 35%.

• Black answers 26…Qg4: the queen joins the attack: it now hits 3 squares around the White king.
• Moves a pawn from in front of the king, loosening its cover.
• Better was 26.dxe4 (+0.06), which takes the pawn on e4.

Better: 26.dxe4 wins a pawn and stops …exf3+. After 26…Qxb3 27.Rxb3 Nh7 28.Kf1 f6 29.Ke1, the queens come off and White comes out a pawn up (+0.06).

39.Qe8+ is a mistake: White's winning chances go from 30% to 15%.

• Black answers 39…Rf8, which attacks the queen.
• After Rf8, Black wins 1 point of material within 6 moves.
• Better was 39.Rfe1 (−2.30).

Better: 39.Rfe1 stops …Rxe4. Engine line: 39…Kh7 40.R1e2 Rf8 41.Na4 Rfd8 42.Nc3 (−2.30).

41…Rxe4 lets the win slip: 41…Rd2+ kept Black winning. Black's winning chances go from 79% to 63%.

• White answers 42.Nf4, which attacks the queen.
• The rook walks into a pin by the rook on e3.
• Better was 41…Rd2+ (−3.58): the rook joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the White king.

Better: 41…Rd2+ joins the attack on the king. After 42.Rf2 Rxf2+ 43.Kxf2 Qh3 44.Kg1 Ra8, the rooks are traded (−3.58).

42…Qe5 is a mistake: Black's winning chances go from 63% to 50%.

• White answers 43.Qb3+: the queen forks the king and the pawn: both can't be saved at once.
• Better was 42…Qa2+ (−1.49), which moves the attacked queen to safety.

Better: 42…Qa2+ saves the attacked queen. After 43.Rf2 Qc4 44.Qxc4+ Rxc4 45.Rb3 Rb8, the queens come off (−1.49).

43.Qb3+! 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, 43.Rb3, would drop White's winning chances from 50% to 35% (−1.73).
• 43.Qb3+ forks the king and the pawn.
• Moves the attacked queen to safety.
• Black answers 43…Rf7.

44.Rfe1! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The rook takes the open e-file, aiming at the rook on e4 behind the rook on e3.
• Doubles rooks on the e-file, so the two pieces push in the same direction.
• The next best move, 44.Rxe4, would drop White's winning chances from 50% to 29% (−2.41).
• 44.Rfe1 stops …Rxe3 and takes the open e-file, aiming at the rook on e4 behind the rook on e3.
• Black was threatening …Rxe3, winning a rook. Rfe1 takes care of it.
• Black answers 44…f5, pushing the pawn storm towards the king.

49…Nc5 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 51% to 31%.

• White answers 50.Nxf8, which takes the rook on f8.
• After Nxf8, White wins 2 points of material within 3 moves.
• Better was 49…Rb8 (−0.16), which moves the attacked rook to safety.

Better: 49…Rb8 gets the rook out of the way of Nxf8. After 50.Ne5 Nc5 51.Nc4 Ne4 52.Rb5 Rc8 53.Nxb6 Rc3, Black is a pawn down (−0.16).

57.Rf3+ is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 73% to 5%.

• Black answers 57…Nxf3, which takes the rook on f3.
• After Nxf3, Black wins 5 points of material within 2 moves.
• Better was 57.Rb3 (+2.76): the rook takes the half-open b-file, aiming at the b6 pawn.

Better: 57.Rb3 takes the half-open b-file, aiming at the b6 pawn, and attacks the b6 pawn, which is undefended. After 57…Kf7 58.Kg3 Kg8 59.Rxb6 Ne4+ 60.Kf4, White comes out a pawn up (+2.76).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 7.O-O: 13 moves in all, 7 by White and 6 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 7.O-O: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.