986 wrote on 09/10/06 at 18:09:59:



You are right about the evaluation after 25...b4. Thank-you for pointing that out. However, after 24...b4 Shredder thinks black is winning. 

That is, after: 16...Qh4 17.Bd4 Rfc8 18.Qf1 Qe7 19.Kb1 g6 20.Qh3 Rc7 21.Ne2 a5 22.c3 Ba3 23.bxa3 Qxa3 24.Rd2 b4! after an hour's think Shedder thinks black is winning (or close to winning). For its main line it gives: 25.Rc2 a4 26.Bxc4 dxc4 27.Nd2 b3 28.Rb2 Rb8 -+

Regards

I agree with Ostap. I also had not much time to analyse the position but I had a quick look on one of whiteatack lines.
20.Qh3 Rc7 (…Rab8!?) 21.Ne2 a5 22.c3 Ba3 23.bxa3 Qxa3 24.Rd2 Nxd2 25.Nxd2 b4 =(Whiteatack)+/-(Tom)

26.Bc2 a4 27.f5 Nc5(b3 axb3 Sxb3 +/-) 28.Qh6 b3 29.Nc1 bxa2 30.Nxa2 Nb3 31. Rh3 Nxd2 32. Qxd2+/-


regards,
Tom

I vote for 16.Qe1 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 (17.Rh3 g6 will transpose) Qc7 18.Rh3 g6 19.Qf2/Qg3 Be7 (end of my analyzed line)

I vote for 16...Qh4. I don't know if I'm missing something, but my analysis with Shredder seems to lead me to think that this move neutralizes white's advantage and is the best move in this position. For instance:

17.Bd4 Rfc8 18.Qf2 Bxc3 19.Bxc3 a5 20.Qg2 Nf8 21.Qh3 Qxh3 22.Rxh3 Ng6 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.Bd4 b4 25.Nd2 Ba6 =

Although I don't see anything wrong with 15.Bd4, I also couldn't find a continuation for Black which comes close to refuting (15.Rg3 Nc4) 16.Qe1 - either in the posted analysis or in lines I examined on my own.  Although 16.Qf2 might also work, I don't see the point in going this way when 16...Qh4 (after 16.Qe1) does not really threaten to capture on h2 - I'd be delighted to see ...Qxh2 by Black!  Besides, I only had time to fill in the gaps of my analysis of 16.Qe1 - to completely analyze the alternatives would require more time than I'm willing to spend at this moment (now that summer has passed, there are too many other things competing for my time - such is life!).

So I have decided upon 15.Rg3 and after the conditional move 15...Nc4 to continue with 16.Qe1.  

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 a6 11.Nb3 Bb4 12.Bd3 b5 13.g4 Bb7 14.Rhg1 Na5 15.Rg3 Nc4 16.Qe1




Black has some interesting choices:  16...Nxe3 is critical, but probably not best.  I don't really believe 16...Qh4 is even half as good as some folks seem to think, although it seems to be the frontrunner at the moment - perhaps it's the best try.  16...Re8, suggested by memers, is also interesting.

I've seen nothing yet to change my impression that White is doing well and Black is struggling, but the position is complex enough that there is no way to be absolutely sure about anything.  No doubt Black has some resources that haven't surfaced in the analysis posted thus far.

Sorry I've had a lot going on the past week and a half (deadline pressure and a bit of travel) and, sadly, virtually no time for chess.  When I last checked 15.Rg3 seemed to be holding up just fine in both the 16.Qe1 lines and the 16.Qf2 lines (although I have not had time to check any of the 16.Qf2 lines directly).  I'm surprised to see there now seems to be some disagreement about the merits of 15.Rg3 and now some support of 15.Bd4.

Honestly I don't think White's position is at all difficult here, but choosing between several good options requires some work which, although days are still significantly busier than during the summer, I should be able to find the time for now.  I'm still leaning toward 15.Rg3 Nc4 16.Qe1 but need to do a bit more analysis here as well as get a first-hand look at 16.Qf2.  Perhaps I should even take a harder look at 15.Bd4 which, honestly, did not look very impressive at last glance - but Keano is advocating this move and his instincts have been excellent thus far.

Again, sorry for disappearing when things got busy.  I will bring my analysis of the game up to speed ASAP (lots of great game commentary during my absence - thanks!) and have my next move posted in a few days (Friday latest - hopefully sooner than this).

17.a3!? is interesting.

15...Nc4 16.Qe1 Qh4 17.a3!? Bxc3(Nxa3!?) 18.Qxc3 Rfc8 19.Qe1 a5 unclear

regards   
Tom

Ostap -

My vote would be for 15.Rg3. I think that move probably offers the best chance for busting Black's 11...Bb4.

My best analysis for a main line goes something like: 15...Nc4 16.Qe1 Nxe3 17.Rh3 g6 18.Qxe3 Qc7 19.Ne2 Rfe8 20.Ned4 Rac8 21.Kb1 Be7 22.Nf3 Bf8 23.Nbd4 and I think that white has a nice advantage here.

Or, (15.Rg3 Nc4 16.Qe1) ...Qh4 17.Bd4 Rfc8 18.Qf1 Qe7 19.Kb1 and I think white is better here.

I wish we could go back and analyze 11...b6.