When I say that it will be very difficult to win for Markovich, it's not only for the actual position. He has somes problems to solve actually, but I speak in long-term too, reaching an ending like Rook+King+pawns vs Rook+King+one pawn up can be a possibility, and is normally draw in the most of the time, or even Rook+Knight+King+pawns vs Rook+Knight+King+one pawn up. In every possible type of ending, I think I can manage for a draw. The quite vulnerability of Black's King can be used with a possible perpetual check  in somes possibles lines if the Queens are still on the board, and White have enough activity to put pressures in Black's position, like the e and/or f-file the d-pawn could be also a target after c4. To summarie, I think White's actual activity dictate Black's next moves where the pawn down is not annoying for the moment and if I reach an ending where the pawn down will begin to be an important factor, when I analyse the type of possible endings that can arise now, I am confident about my (big?)drawing chances. But let's the future decide about who was right here.

I think BDG players tend to underestimate the resilience of Black's postion in these situations.  I think Markovich is being conservative by saying that position is =/+.

Let me qualify this statement.  Once the play has transformed from a concrete tactical stage to an amorphous maneuvering game, BDG players tend to consistently overestimate the power of short-term threats versus long-term assets when the character of the game has significantly changed.  The triumph of Markovich's play is that the concrete stage seemed virtually non-existent!  While I was participating in the Ziegler Defense thread, I analyzed a number of lines and, through a period of trial and error, I began to notice some patterns.  I experimented with a move that had not been considered in the Alchemy line, but as it turned out, the move was seriously flawed as Black was too behind in development for the idea to be executed properly.  Then by chance, I took a glimpse at the most principled continuation and found an interesting and somewhat implausible move, that sacrificed the queen for an interesting material imbalance and the annilhilation of White's center.  Strangely, the position had shifted to very sharp tactics to a maneuvering positional game, where Black was under slight pressure, but had most of the long-term strengths.  After some further independent investigation, I came to the conclusion that Black was better, as his weaknesses were defensible, while the resources for White's apparent attack were easily exhausted as he had no central leverage after losing his pawn center.  Curiously, this position had been assessed by +/- by the BDG supporters by somewhat unconvincing analysis.  Around the time, I had other things outside of chess pressing, and I felt that I reached a good stopping point for myself.  Anyway, I felt like I had found a weakness in the optimism of BDG adherents when the position has transformed outside of their territory.  In both instances (Markovich's game and the position I analyzed), White's central pawn support had been annilhilated and White was reduced to making short-term threats to counter Black's long-term advantages.  Many BDG players seem to think in such positions, White's temporary "attack" at least compensates for a pawn, since Black's position looks awkward at first.  I think this optimism causes them to overlook the resources facilitated by the long-term advantages of Black's position.

After 29 Nb4 white get an equal postion by threatening Qd3-a6, forcing Rook to a8 and let it stand rather passively and then play rf1 and or c4 in some positions

1.d4 d5  2. e4 dxe4  3. Nc3 Nf6  4. f3 exf3  5. Nxf3 Bf5  6. Ne5 e6 7.g4 Bg6 8.Qf3 c6  9. g5 Nh5 10.Be3 Nd7 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Bd3 Bd6 13.Ne4 Bc7  14. O-O-O Qe7 15.Rhf1 Rf8 16.Bd2 0-0-0 17.a3 a5 18.Bc4 Nb6 19.Bb3 Rxd4 20.Bxa5 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Nd5 22.Bxc7 Qxc7 23.Kb1 Qf4 24.Bxd5 exd5 25.Qh3+ Kc7 26.Nc5 Qd6 27.Qe3 b6  28.Na6+

28.Na4!? Rb8! was equally playable, but I think 28.Na6+ is the more accurate.

Quote:


Sorry, without sight of the board, I did not recognize the transposition.  So 9...Bb4 10. Bg5.  I looked at this for some time.  I agree that 10...Qa5  11. Bd2!, which according to my sources was played in LeLong-Ancival, Vichy 2000, is a good move.  If Black offers repetition with 11...Qd8, White has 12. Qe2.

Not so good for Black is 10...Qb6  11. 0-0 Nbd7  12. Na4.

One critical path seems to be 10...Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qa5  12. 0-0 Nbd7 and now both 13. h5 Nxe5  14. dxe5 Qxe5  13. Bxf6 gxf6 and 13. Bxf6 Nxf6  14. h5 Be4  15. Bxe4 Nxe4  16. Rxf7 (16. Qe1 f6) 16...Qxc3  17. Rf3 (forced) produce complicated play.  However I doubt that Black can claim any advantage.

Black also has the very interesting 10...h6  11. Nxg6 fxg6,   which would probably be my choice.  For example, 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 looks good for Black, who did indeed win in Detko-Drtina, Hlohovec (Slovakia) 1996.  12. Be3 would seem to be a better try, after which I would play 12...Qc7 and be reasonably satisfied with my prospects in a position with mutual weaknesses.  White at least must spend some time to recover his pawn.

I would have to agree that White's prospects in these lines do seem to be better than after 8. Qf3.  Here Black does not seem to have the luxury of calm, solid defense.

1.d4 d5  2. e4 dxe4  3. Nc3 Nf6  4. f3 exf3  5. Nxf3 Bf5  6. Ne5 e6 7.g4 Bg6 8.Qf3 c6  9. g5 Nh5 10.Be3 Nd7 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Bd3 Bd6 13.Ne4 Bc7  14. O-O-O Qe7 15.Rhf1 Rf8 16.Bd2 0-0-0 17.a3 a5 18.Bc4 Nb6 19.Bb3 Rxd4 20.Bxa5 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Nd5 22.Bxc7 Qxc7 23.Kb1 Qf4 24.Bxd5 exd5 25.Qh3+ Kc7 26.Nc5 Qd6 27.Qe3 b6

1.d4 d5  2. e4 dxe4  3. Nc3 Nf6  4. f3 exf3  5. Nxf3 Bf5  6. Ne5 e6 7.g4 Bg6 8.Qf3 c6  9. g5 Nh5 10.Be3 Nd7 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Bd3 Bd6 13.Ne4 Bc7  14. O-O-O Qe7 15.Rhf1 Rf8 16.Bd2 0-0-0 17.a3 a5 18.Bc4 Nb6 19.Bb3 Rxd4 20.Bxa5 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Nd5 22.Bxc7 Qxc7 23.Kb1 Qf4 24.Bxd5 exd5 25.Qh3+ Kc7 26.Nc5 Qd6

Both 26th moves were forced.  I still have my surplus pawn.