plzdonotbanmee vs SeanWinshand: game review

16.Bxe7 is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 57% to 26%.

• Black answers 16…Nxe3, which takes the queen on e3.
• After Nxe3, Black wins 5 points of material within 7 moves.
• Better was 16.Nxd5 (+0.80), which takes the knight on d5.

Better: 16.Nxd5 stops …Nxe3. After 16…Nxd5 17.Bxd5 Bxh4 18.Bb3 a5 19.g3, the knights are traded (+0.80).

31.Ra2 is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 69% to 24%.

• Black answers 31…Bc4: the bishop forks the rook and the knight: both can't be saved at once.
• After Bc4, Black wins 2 points of material within 5 moves.
• Better was 31.Nc7 (+2.21), which attacks the rook on e8.

Better: 31.Nc7 wins the exchange, picking it up with 32.Nxe8. After 31…Bd7 32.Nxe8 Bxe8 33.d5 Bb5 34.d6, White comes out two pawns up (+2.21).

48…Be6+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The bishop joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the White king.
• Moves the attacked bishop to safety.
• The next best move, 48…Bb3, would drop Black's winning chances from 50% to 24% (+3.17).
• 48…Be6+ joins the attack on the king and saves the attacked bishop.
• Gives check, so the reply is forced.
• White answers 49.Kg3.

50.Kf4! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Protects the knight on e3, which was hanging.
• The next best move, 50.Nf1, would drop White's winning chances from 51% to 23% (−3.25).
• 50.Kf4 stops …Rxe3.
• Black was threatening …Rxe3, winning a knight. Kf4 takes care of it.
• Black answers 50…Rd2.
• Engine line: 50…Rd2 51.Bc5 Ba2 52.c4 Kg8 53.Ba7 (+0.04).

51…fxg5+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Takes the pawn on g5.
• The next best move, 51…Kg6, would drop Black's winning chances from 48% to 29% (+2.39).
• 51…fxg5+ wins a pawn.
• Takes the g5 pawn and wins a pawn once the captures settle.
• White answers 52.Ke4.
• Engine line: 52.Ke4 Ba2 53.d5 Bxd5+ 54.Kd3 Rxe3+ 55.Kxe3 g4 56.fxg4 hxg4 57.g3 (+0.20).

53…Rxg2 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 47% to 10%.

• White answers 54.Nxg2, which takes the rook on g2.
• After Nxg2, White wins 5 points of material within 2 moves.
• Better was 53…Rd2 (+0.34): the rook takes the half-open d-file.

Better: 53…Rd2 takes the half-open d-file. After 54.c4 Bxc4 55.Nxc4 Rxg2 56.d5 h3, Black is a pawn down (+0.34).

55.Bd6!! A real sacrifice: White gives up material and the engine still rates it best.

• Leaves the knight on g2 where it can be taken.
• Black can take, but after 55…hxg2 56.Bh2 Bc4 57.d5 the engine rates it +5.62.
• 55.Bd6 prepares Bh2 and d5.
• The engine's plan continues with Bh2 and d5: this move is the first step.
• Black answers 55…hxg2, winning a knight.
• After 55…hxg2 56.Bh2 Bc4 57.d5 Bf1 58.Kd4, White is a piece down (+5.62).

• The idea: 55.Bd6!! leaves the knight on g2 hanging. Taking it gives White an attack worth more than the knight.
• What White gives up: The knight on g2 is attacked by the h3 pawn, and 55.Bd6 doesn't save it. That's a knight on offer.
• If Black takes the knight: 55…hxg2 is met by 56.Bh2. Then 57.fxg4 takes the g4 pawn, and 58.Ke5 threatens Kxe6, winning a bishop. White is still a piece down, but the attack is worth more: White is clearly better (+2.75). This is Black's best try.
• Why not save the knight first?: Saving it with 55.Ne3, the best way to do that, is clearly weaker (−5.66 against +5.62). Black answers 55…h2, pushing the passed pawn to h2. That would leave White losing.

56.Bh2! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The next best move, 56.d5, would drop White's winning chances from 91% to 7% (−6.90).
• 56.Bh2 prepares d5 and c4.
• The engine's plan continues with d5 and c4: this move is the first step.
• Black answers 56…Kg7.
• Engine line: 56…Kg7 57.d5 Bf7 58.c4 Kf8 59.c5 (+6.11).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 6…Be7: 12 moves in all, 6 by White and 6 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 6…Be7: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.