Polish_fighter3000 vs lachesisQ: game review

26…Ne4 is a blunder: Black's winning chances go from 49% to 23%.

• White answers 27.Nxd5, which takes the pawn on d5.
• After Nxd5, White wins 1 point of material within 2 moves.
• Better was 26…Kg7 (+0.14).

Better: 26…Kg7 prepares …Re5 and …Ne4. Engine line: 27.Qg3 Re5 28.Rd3 Ne4 29.Qf4 Nf6 (+0.14).

34.Qc7 lets the win slip: 34.Qd2 kept White winning. White's winning chances go from 74% to 50%.

• Black answers 34…Re1+: the rook joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the White king.
• Better was 34.Qd2 (+2.91), which moves the attacked queen to safety.

Better: 34.Qd2 gets the queen out of the way of …Rxf4. After 34…h5 35.b3 Qc8 36.Ra7 Qf5 37.Rxa5 Re6, White comes out a pawn up (+2.91).

34…Re1+! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The rook joins the attack: it now hits 2 squares around the White king.
• Check, and White has only two legal replies.
• The next best move, 34…Qd5, would drop Black's winning chances from 50% to 18% (+4.12).
• 34…Re1+ joins the attack on the king and gives check, leaving two replies.
• White answers 35.Bf1.
• Engine line: 35.Bf1 Qd5 36.f3 Rd1 37.Ra7 h5 (−0.30).

35…Qd5! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Moves the attacked queen to safety.
• Shores up the f7 pawn, which was under as much attack as it had defence (1 against 1).
• The next best move, 35…Qxc7, would drop Black's winning chances from 50% to 36% (+1.61).
• 35…Qd5 gets the queen out of the way of Qxc5.
• White was threatening Qxc5, winning the queen. The queen steps away.
• Activates the queen (from 14 to 19 usable squares).

37.Qd7 is a blunder: White's winning chances go from 49% to 8%.

• Black answers 37…Nd6, which attacks the rook on b7.
• Better was 37.c4 (−0.11), which attacks the queen.

Better: 37.c4 wins a pawn, picking it up with 38.Qxa5, and threatens cxd5, winning the queen. After 37…Qe6 38.Qxa5 Rd1 39.g5 h5 40.Kg2, White comes out a pawn up (−0.11).

39…Nd2! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Adds a decisive attacker on the bishop on f1: 2 attackers against 1 defender.
• The next best move, 39…Ra1, would drop Black's winning chances from 72% to 48% (+0.17).
• 39…Nd2 wins a bishop, picking it up with 40…Rxf1.
• Sets up a sequence and wins a bishop once the captures settle, picking it up with 40…Rxf1.
• White answers 40.Kg2.
• After 40.Kg2 Rxf1 41.d5 Ra1 42.b3 Ne4, Black comes out a piece up (−2.69).

44…Ra8! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Activates the rook (from 7 to 12 usable squares).
• The next best move, 44…Nf3, would drop Black's winning chances from 87% to 4% (+8.39).
• 44…Ra8 prepares …Rd8 and …Nb3 and activates the rook.
• The engine's plan continues with …Rd8 and …Nb3: this move is the first step.
• White answers 45.Rxb4, winning a pawn.
• After 45.Rxb4 Rd8 46.Rd4 Nb3 47.Rd5 Kf6, Black is a pawn down (−5.50).

45…Rd8! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The rook takes the half-open d-file, aiming at the d7 pawn.
• Attacks the d7 pawn, which is undefended.
• The next best move, 45…Kf8, would drop Black's winning chances from 87% to 50% (0.00).
• 45…Rd8 takes the half-open d-file, aiming at the d7 pawn, and attacks the d7 pawn, which is undefended.
• White answers 46.Rd4, attacking the knight on d2, which is undefended.
• Engine line: 46.Rd4 Nb3 47.Rd5 Kf6 48.f4 Ke7 (−5.35).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 11.Re1: 21 moves in all, 11 by White and 10 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 11.Re1: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.