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20…Nxg1

[20...Nxh4? loses at once to 21.Qh6!]

21.Bxf6

21.Qh6 wins in all variations except for 21...Qh5!

21...Bxf6

21...Nh3 is met by 22.Bxe7+ Kxg7 23.Bf6+ Kh7 24.e5+ with a routine mating attack.

22.Qxf6 Be6 23.Rh7! Ke8 24.Bb5+

This is the real point of the attack.  Black’s rook is forced into an ugly pin in order to save his king.

24...Rc6

CAN YOU FIND WHITE’S KEY MOVE

25.Rh5!

Suddenly Black must meet the threat of 26.Bxc6+ followed by Rxa5. 26.Qg5!?, with the same idea also looks strong.

25...d5

25...Qb6 26.Nd5! Bxd5 27.exd5 Kd7 (forced) 28.dxc6+ bxc6 29.Qxf7+ Kc8 30.Qc4 Kc7 31.Rh7+ Rd7 32.Rxd7+ Kxd7 33.Bxc6+ Qxc6 34.Qg4+ leads to an easily won ending for White.

26.exd5 Rxd5

Black’s survival depends upon the weakness of White’s back rank.

27.Rxd5 Bxd5

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE UNDEFENDED BLACK QUEEN

28.Qe5+!

The power of centralization comes into focus with this move.  The queen not only harasses the Black king but also guards against back rank tricks from this square. Now 28...Be6 29.Bxc6+ wins the queen and 28...Kd8 29.Qxd5+ is a mop-up job.

28...Kf8 29.Qh8+

29.Nxd5!, threatening mate on h8 should win smoothly after 29...Rh6 (29...Rg6 30.Qh8+ Rg8 31.Qh6+ Rg7 32.Qd6+ Kg8 33.Nf6+ leads to mate) 30.Qe7+ Kg7 31.Qg5+ Rg6 32.Qe5+ Kh6 (32...Kh7 33.Bd3 wins easily) 33.Qh8+ Kg5 34.h4+ Kg4 35.Qd4+ Kh3 36.Bf1+ Kh2 37.Qf2+ Kh1 38.Ne3 and Black has no defense.

29...Ke7 30.Nxd5+ Kd6

THE GAME HANGS IN THE BALANCE

31.Qh6+?

White can win easily if he can secure his back rank and secure his loose minor pieces.  With that in mind, 31.c4! should win without difficulties, e.g. 31...Qe1+ 32.Kc2 Qe4+ 33.Kb3 and now 33...Kc5 34.Nc3! Qe3 35.Ka4 even sees the White king lending an attacking hand to nail down the point.

31...Kc5!

THE WIN HAS VANISHED

Not 31...Kxd5?? 32.Bxc6+ bxc6 33.Qg5+ winning the queen.

32.Bxc6

Perhaps White had more chances to win in the queen ending that results after 32.Qe3+ Kxd5 33.Bxc6+ Kxc6 34.Qxg1 Qh5 35.a3.

32...Qe1+ 33.Qc1 Qxc1+ 34.Kxc1 bxc6!

Black must maintain the active position of his king.

35.Nf4?!

White should blockade the f-pawn with 35.Nf6! where the knight is also in good position to raid Black’s weak queenside pawns.

35...Nf3 36.h3 Kd4 37.Kd1 Ke3 38.Nd3 f5

Black is just active enough to hold the draw.

39.b4 f4 40.a4 Nh4 41.Ke1 Ng2+?!

A simpler draw was 41...Nf3+ 42 Kf1 Nd2+ 43 Kg1 Nf3+ 44 Kg2 Nd4.

42.Kf1 Kf3! 43.c3 Kg3 44.a5 f3 45.Kg1 a6 46.c4 Ne3

BLACK’S ACTIVE KING SAVES HIM

47.c5

47.h4!? f2+ 48.Nxf2 Kxh4 49.Nd3 Nxc4 50.Kf2 Kg4 51.Nc5 Kf4 52.Nxa6 Ke4 53.Nb8 Kd4 54.a6 Nb6 draws for Black as well.

47...Nd5 48.h4 f2+! 49.Nxf2 Kxh4 50.Nd3 Kg3 51.Kf1 Kf3 52.Ne5+ Ke4 53.Nxc6 Kd3 54.Ke1 Kc4 55.Kd2 Kb5 56.Nb8, ½–½.

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