Xiangyu Xu vs Yangyi Yu: game review

14…Nb6! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• Moves the attacked knight to safety.
• The next best move, 14…Qc6, would drop Black's winning chances from 52% to 19% (+3.90).
• 14…Nb6 gets the knight out of the way of exd5.
• White was threatening exd5, winning a knight for a pawn. The knight steps away.
• White answers 15.Nc3.
• Engine line: 15.Nc3 Ba6 16.b3 Qc6 17.Be3 Rfd8 (−0.26).

34.Bd1 is a mistake: White's winning chances go from 39% to 28%.

• Black answers 34…Ng2+, which gives check, so the reply is forced.
• Better was 34.Nf3 (−1.21), which protects the e5 pawn, which was hanging.

Better: 34.Nf3 threatens Nxh4+, winning the exchange. After 34…Bxf3 35.Rxf3 Kxe5 36.Bc4 Rh7 37.Bf2, White is a pawn down (−1.21).

34…Nd3+ misses the chance 34.Bd1 gave: 34…Ng2+ would have punished it. Black's winning chances go from 72% to 62%.

• White answers 35.Rxd3, which takes the knight on d3.
• Better was 34…Ng2+ (−2.59), which gives check, so the reply is forced.

Better: 34…Ng2+ gives check. After 35.Kf1 Rf4+ 36.Bf2 Bc5 37.Bg4+ Rxg4 38.Rxg4 Kxg4 39.Bxc5 Nf4, the rooks are traded (−2.59).

36…Be4! The only good move here: every alternative is clearly worse.

• The next best move, 36…Rh3, would drop Black's winning chances from 61% to 46% (+0.47).
• 36…Be4 stops Bxd3+.
• White was threatening Bxd3+, winning a rook. Be4 takes care of it.
• The engine's plan continues with …Rd7 and …Kxe5: this move is the first step.
• White answers 37.Nxe4, taking the bishop on e4, leaving Black with no bishop pair.
• After 37.Nxe4 Rxe4+ 38.Kf1 Rd7 39.Bf2 Kxe5 40.Bg3+, Black comes out a pawn up (−1.19).

44.Rc4 is a mistake: White's winning chances go from 39% to 24%.

• Black answers 44…Ke4, which protects the bishop on d4, which was hanging.
• Better was 44.h4 (−1.17), which pushes the passed pawn to h4.

Better: 44.h4 pushes the passed pawn to h4. Engine line: 44…f6 45.h5 Kg5 46.Rh2 Kh6 47.Rh4 (−1.17).

46.Rc2 is a mistake: White's winning chances go from 29% to 18%.

• Black answers 46…b4, which takes c3 away from the bishop on e1 and the rook on c2.
• Better was 46.axb5 (−2.48), which takes the pawn on b5.

Better: 46.axb5 stops …bxc4. Engine line: 46…cxb5 47.Rc8 b4 48.Bh4 Re6 49.Rc4 (−2.48).

46…Kd5+ misses the chance 46.Rc2 gave: 46…b4 would have punished it. Black's winning chances go from 82% to 70%.

• White answers 47.Kd1: the king steps out of the firing line (fewer enemy pieces aim at it now).
• Better was 46…b4 (−4.05), which protects the a5 pawn, which was hanging.

Better: 46…b4 protects the a5 pawn and takes c3 away from the bishop on e1 and the rook on c2. Engine line: 47.h4 c5 48.Kd1 Rh5 49.Re2+ Kf3 (−4.05).

51…Rh3 is a mistake: Black's winning chances go from 88% to 76%.

• White answers 52.Kc2.
• Better was 51…Ke4 (−5.52): the king steps out of the firing line (fewer enemy pieces aim at it now).

Better: 51…Ke4 steps the king out of the firing line. Engine line: 52.Ke2 Rb2+ 53.Bd2 f4 54.Re7+ Be5 (−5.52).

• Both sides followed opening theory up to 9.Ne5: 17 moves in all, 9 by White and 8 by Black.
• Theory runs out after 9.Ne5: too few games between strong players reached this position to go further.