Parhamov vs nihalsarin: game review

14.Nc4! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The next best move, 14.Ne4, would drop White's winning chances from 71% to 53% (+0.37).
• 14.Nc4 threatens Nb6, winning a rook, picking it up with 15.Nxa8, and stops …cxd4.
• It threatens Nb6, winning a rook, picking it up with 15.Nxa8, so Black has to spend the next move on it.
• Black was threatening …cxd4, winning a pawn. Nc4 takes care of it.
• The engine's plan continues with Ng5 and Nb6: this move is the first step.
• Black answers 14…Qc6, opening the line of the rook on d8 to the d4 pawn.

22…Qb6 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 40% to 18%.

• White answers 23.Rg4+: the rook joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the Black king.
• Better was 22…Rac8 (+1.09): the rook takes the open c-file.

Better: 22…Rac8 takes the open c-file. Engine line: 23.Qc1 Qe7 24.Qh6 f5 25.Rac1 f6 (+1.09).

23…Nd5 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 46% to 20%.

• White answers 24.a5, which attacks the queen.
• Better was 23…Bf8 (+0.47): moving away uncovers the queen on b6, which now hits the e3 pawn.

Better: 23…Bf8 stops Rg4+. Engine line: 24.Qe4 Nd3 25.Rb1 Rd7 26.Qh4 Bg7 (+0.47).

24.a5! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Attacks the queen.
• Gains space: the pawn on a5 cramps Black's pieces behind it.
• The next best move, 24.Rg4+, would drop White's winning chances from 80% to 69% (+2.14).
• 24.a5 threatens axb6, winning the queen, and stops …Bxe3.
• It threatens axb6, winning the queen, so Black has to spend the next move on it.
• Black was threatening …Bxe3, winning a pawn. a5 takes care of it.

29…Rd7! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Protects the queen on e7, which was hanging.
• Lines up rook and queen on the 7th rank, so the two pieces push in the same direction.
• The next best move, 29…Rd1+, would drop Black's winning chances from 49% to 21% (+3.59).
• 29…Rd7 threatens …Rxc7, winning a rook, and stops Rxe7.
• It threatens …Rxc7, winning a rook, so White has to spend the next move on it.
• White was threatening Rxe7, winning the queen for 8 points of material. Rd7 takes care of it.

36…Qa1+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The queen joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the White king.
• Protects the knight on f6, which was hanging.
• The next best move, 36…Ne4, would drop Black's winning chances from 61% to 19% (+3.93).
• 36…Qa1+ wins a knight for a pawn, picking it up with 37…fxe6.
• Sets up a sequence and wins a knight for a pawn once the captures settle, picking it up with 37…fxe6.
• White answers 37.Kg2.

39…Qe5! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Shores up the e6 pawn, which was under as much attack as it had defence (2 against 1).
• The next best move, 39…Kg6, would drop Black's winning chances from 64% to 50% (0.00).
• 39…Qe5 stops Bxe6+.
• White was threatening Bxe6+, winning a pawn. Qe5 takes care of it.
• White answers 40.Bxa6, winning a pawn.
• After 40.Bxa6 Qe4+ 41.Qxe4 Nxe4 42.Bd3 Nd2, the queens come off and Black is a pawn down (−1.59).

52.Kh2 is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 45% to 3%.

• Black answers 52…Qxf2+, which takes the pawn on f2.
• After Qxf2+, Black wins 1 point of material within 2 moves.
• Better was 52.Qb8 (−0.56).

Better: 52.Qb8 threatens Qh8+, winning a pawn, picking it up with 53.Qxh7+. After 52…Qxf2+ 53.Kh1 fxe4 54.Qf8+ Kg6 55.Qg8+, White is a piece and a pawn down (−0.56).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 10…Rd8: 20 moves in all, 10 by White and 10 by Black.
• White left the book with 11.Qc2. In 64 games from this position, strong players played 11.e3 (98%).
• The main line goes on 11.e3 Qxc4 12.Nxc4 a5.
• From here White scored 63% in those games, with 11% drawn.