Kam, I haven't had a chance to look at 18...Bg4, but I hope you don't just take my word for it about 18...Bd7.  I'm just sharing my preliminary thoughts about it.  I'm not a strong enough player, by a long shot, for my judgments to be accepted as in any way authoritative.

Black's problem in this line is what to do about White's queenside pawn majority.  After 15...Nc6 16.Ne4 Nd4 17.Bc4! Nxf3+ 18.gxf3 in a CC game, I learned to my cost that debilitating White's kingside pawns doesn't give Black enough counterplay.  So by analogy, I'm not sure that 18...Bg4, which makes an analogous threat but at the cost of the two bishops, is likely to suffice.

These positions are not so very easy to judge, and I suggest you try out your ideas on ICC or in informal CC, which will test their merit better than mere discussion will.  But in the mean time, I will continue to distrust 15...Nf8.

For some time, I thought that the way to go
was the sterile e-pawn recapture.

However, the more I look at it, I dont think it is sterile
neither drawish. I think Black must play quite well
to make it drawish and sterile which is not the same thing as saying it is sterile and drawish.

In a parallel thread a memebr mentioned the line in
Caruana-Adgenstein. Perhaos, who knows?

I am with you. c-pawn recapture or nothing

Alekine’s Defence Voronezh Variation with 9….e5 and 15.Bb5.  Discussion of 15….Nf8.


“……….I have a general question regarding this line of the Voronezh - Is 15...Nc6 black’s
only attempt?”     Ludde,    22-12-2009.

As an alternative to 15….Nc6, black has also played 15….Nf8, which will be discussed within
the framework of  the game in Hanley,J-Summerscale, A/London ENG 2007 and the Watson
1.e4 Chess Publishing Watson Aug 2007 Update.

1.e4 Nf6  2.e5 Nd5  3.d4 d6  4.c4 Nb6  5.exd6 cxd6  6.Nc3 g6  7.Be3 Bg7  8.Rc1 O-O
9.b3 e5  10.dxe5 dxe5  11.Qxd8 Rxd8  12.c5 N6d7  13.Nf3 Nc6  14.Bc4 Na5  15.Bb5

15…. Nf8   Watson mentions the alternative 15....a6 followed by 16.Be2 Nc6  17.Rd1 Nd4 
18.Nxd4! exd4  19.Rxd4! Bxd4  20.Bxd4 followed by Ne4. with “more than enough compensation”.

16.O-O Watson mentioned 16.Ne4, but I propose the continuation 16….Bd7!  17.Bxd7 Rxd7
18.b4 Nc6  19.b5 Nd4 = etc.

16….h6 This move seems a bit passive. The alternative 16….Ne6 is inadequate because
the continuation 17.Rfd1 Nd4  18.Nxd4 exd4  19.Bg5! ± as mentioned by Watson is good for white.
I recommend the more tenacious reply   16….Bd7!  Diagram 1.



Plausible continuations are
a) 17.Be2 f5!  18.Nd5 Bc6  19.Ne7+ Kf7  20.Nxc6 Nxc6 21.Bc4+ Ke7 =
b) 17.Rfd1 Bxb5  18.Nxb5 Nc6  19.Nd6 Rd7 20.a3 f5  21.b4 Ne6 =
c) 17.Bxd7 Rxd7 18.b4 Nc4  19.Rfd1 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 f5  21.Nd5 Ne6 =

17.Ne4 Bd7 18.Bxd7?! was played and Watson mentions 18.Be2! with the idea of
18….Ne6 19.Nd6  ±


Conclusions:
The move 15…. Nf8 is a viable 15th move alternative and this is very important, because white
cannot force a draw by move repetition involving 15.Bb5 Nc6  16.Bc4 Na5 17.Bb5 Nc6 etc.

After 16.O-O, 16…. h6 is insufficient, but I believe that 16…. Bd7! can be played to maintain
equality. White could also try 15.Bb5 Nf8  16.Ne4, but 16….Bd7 is also an adequate reply. A
more detailed analysis of this line may be presented at another time. I welcome any comments
with reference to this discussion.

Alekine’s Defence, Voronezh Variation.  9) .. e5  15)Bb5 Nc6,  25)Rfd1 Ng4 26Bb5  29....Re6
Part 2. 

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Rc1 0–0
9.b3 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 12.c5 N6d7 13.Nf3 Nc6 14.Bc4 Na5 15.Bb5 Nc6
16.Ne4 f5 17.Bc4+ Kf8 18.Neg5 Nf6 19.Nf7 Re8 20.Nd6 Re7 21.0–0 e4 !
22.Ng5 Bd7 23.Nxb7 h6 24.Nh3 g5 25.Rfd1 Ng4  26.Bb5 Nge5  27.Bxc6 Bxc6
28.Nd6 f4  29.Bd4 Re6  30.Nf5 Rae8 Diagram 10.



Black’s last remaining undeveloped piece is positioned on an effective square. The battle
for better middle game piece deployment and positional supremacy begins.
31.b4 White has some serious alternatives. [a) 31.Nxg7 Kxg7 32.g3 Rf6
33.gxf4 gxf4 34.a4 e3 35.Kf1 Bf3 36.Re1 Nd3 37.Bxf6+ Kxf6 38.Nxf4 e2+
39.Rxe2 Bxe2+ 40.Nxe2 Rxe2 41.Rc3 Re1+ 42.Kg2 Nf4+ Sl Ad Bl
Diagram 11.



     The material inventory shows that white has an additional 3 pawns, while black has
the knight. Black has a slight advantage, but a draw is the likely outcome. Can black afford
to immediately take on the queen side pawns?
b) 31.Ba1 Bf6 32.Nd4 Nd3 33.Nxe6+ Rxe6 34.Bxf6 Nxc1 35.Bxg5 hxg5 36.Rxc1 Re5
37.b4 Rd5 38.Kf1 f3 39.a3 Ke7 40.gxf3 exf3 41.Ke1 Re5+ 42.Kd1 Ba4+ 43.Kd2 Re2+
44.Kd3 g4 45.Nf4 Bb5+ 46.Kd4 Rxf2 Diagram 12.



Black has serious winning chances and white must play an accurate mix of active play and
solid pawn blockading strategy.
47.Nd5+ (47.c6 Kd8 48.h4 gxh3 49.Nxh3 Rh2 50.Ng5 f2 51.Nf7+ Kc7 52.Ng5 Rh6 –+)
47...Kd8 48.Nc3 Bd7 49.Rh1 Rb2 Now or a lot later and in this situation the correct verdict is
to capture the h2 pawn in the distant future. The long awaiting  49…Rxh2 would allow the
white queen side pawns to become alarmingly dangerous. After the moving of the rook to the
b file, white is in a type of zugswang 50.Ke5 f2 51.Nd1 Rd2 52.Kf4 Bb5 53.Ne3 Rd3
54.Nxg4 Rd4+ 55.Ke3 Rxg4 56.Kxf2 Bc6 57.Rg1 Rxg1 (57...Rf4+ This better than the
rook exchange, but black cannot force a win. a) 58.Ke1 Rh4 59.Rg7 Bd7 60.b5 Bxb5
61.Rxa7 Rxh2 Position is drawn? 62.a4 Ra2 63.a5 Kc8 64.Kd1 Kb8 65.Re7 Bc6
66.Kc1 Rxa5 67.Kb2 This position also seem  drawn.) b) 58.Kxg1 Ke7 This position is also
drawn. 59.Kf2 Kf6 60.Ke3 Ke5 61.Kd3 Bb5+ 62.Kc3 Ba4 63.Kc4 a6 64.Kc3 Be8  65.Kb3 Kd4
  66.a4 Bf7+  67.Kb2 Ba8  68.Ka3 Kc4 69.h4 Kd4  70.Kb3 Bf7+  71.Ka3 Be8 =

31...f3 32.Rc3 [32.Nd6 Rb8 33.b5 Rxb5 34.Nxb5 Bxb5 35.Rb1 a6 36.Bxe5 Bxe5
37.g4 Ke7 38.Rb4 Bd3 39.Rb7+ Kd8 40.Rf7 Rf6 41.Rxf6 Bxf6 Black has the initiative.
42.Kh1 Kc7 Adv Bl] 32...Bf6 ! [32...fxg2  One move too early and white is able to extract
a small advantage. 33.Nxg7 Kxg7 34.Kxg2 Kf7 35.Bxe5 Rxe5 36.Re3 a5 37.a3 Rb8
38.Rd6 Re6 39.Rd4 axb4 40.axb4 Rf6 41.Kg3 Kg6 White is a pawn up.]  Diagram 13.



33.Nd6 fxg2  Diagram 14.



Black rips apart the white king side at the cost of some material lose.
34.Nxe8 Kxe8 35.Kxg2 Nd3 36.Bxf6 Rxf6 The black light square bishop is starting
to appear very menacing. 37.Rb3 ? This move is too ambitious, but it is instructive
to show how black can go for a win. [37.Ra3 The best move 37...a5 38.b5 Bxb5
39.Rxa5 Bc6 40.Ra6 Nxc5 41.Rb6 Nd3 42.f3 Ne5 43.Nf2   Diagram 15.



The black minor pieces coordinate effectively and white is forced to sacrifice the exchange.

43...Rxf3 44.Rxc6 Nxc6 45.Rd6 Nd8 46.Nxe4 Ra3 47.Rxh6 Rxa2+ 48.Kg3 Nf7 A draw is
almost inevitable.] 37...a6 38.Ra3 Bd5 39.Ng1 Rxf2+ 40.Kg3 Rc2 41.Rxa6 h5 
Diagram 16.



The white king can only shuffle between g3 and h3. Black has the immediate threat of
Nf4 followed by Rg2 mate!
42.Rf6 Ke7 43.Rff1 Nxb4 [43...Rc3 44.Ne2 (44.h4 Nxb4+ 45.Kh2 Rc2+ 46.Kg3 Rc3+
R v B, Perhaps black should go for the draw.) 44...Ra3 45.Rg1 Be6 46.h4 Bg4
47.hxg5 Bxe2 48.Rd2 Bg4 49.Kh2 e3 50.Rxd3 Rxd3 51.Re1 e2 52.a4 Rd1
53.Rxe2+ Bxe2 54.Kg2 Rd4 –+] 44.Rd4 Rc3+ 45.Nf3 h4+ 46.Kg4 Diagram 17.



Black has two minor pieces against the rook.
Black can also force a passed pawn situation. 46...Rxf3 47.Rxf3 exf3 48.Rxb4 f2
49.Rb1 Bg2  [49...Bc4 50.Kxg5 h3 51.Kg4 f1Q 52.Rxf1 Bxf1 53.a4 Kd8 54.a5 Kc8
55.a6 Kc7 56.Kg3 =] 50.Kxg5 h3 51.Kg4 f1Q  [51...Kd7 52.a4 Kc6 53.a5 f1Q
54.Rxf1 Bxf1 55.a6 Kc7 56.Kh4 Bg2 57.Kg3 Kb8 58.c6 Bf1 59.Kg4 An intriguing endgame
draw!] 52.Rxf1 Bxf1 53.a4  The position looks won by black, but white draws by
strategic placement of the isolated queen side pawns. Any other move and the black king could
have approached the c pawn with a win. Diagram 18.



53...Kd7 54.a5 Kc6 55.a6 Due to the pawn at c5, the white king can only approach the
a6 pawn via a7. Throughout the end game stage, the black bishop was  denied the
opportunity to control the c8-h3 diagonal, which could be have been used to block the
white c pawn and protect the black’s last remaining pawn at h3.
55…. Kc7 56.Kg3 Kc6 57.Kg4 Natural is 57.a7, but this loses. 57...Kc7 58.Kg3 !
½–½ The isolated queen side pawns indirectly protect each other. After the king capture
of either pawn, the remaining pawn becomes an unstoppable passed pawn unless the
bishop assists but this would allow the black pawn at a3 to be captured by the white king.

Conclusions:
           Black had utilized a long term pawn sacrifice and white cannot organize a
winning queen side attack without the participation of the h3 knight. Black can slowly,
but effectively grab squares in the king side and centre.                     
     The various variations also show insight in how the various stages of the game
can develop and give a feel for this interesting opening. Very dangerous traps can be set
by black. This game is an example of how a “restrained” pawn storm can be used to
restrict  the effectiveness of a knight.
This game is a testimony to the fact that it may be more effective to restrict the activity
of a minor piece than to charge the pawns at full throttle in order to hunt down the
enemy king.
The inaccuracy by white at move 37 enabled to show how menacing black’s play can be.
Black was able to extract a material advantage, which would have yielded victory in most
end game situations. Ironically, white’s isolated pair of queen side pawns contributed to
the saving of the game.

Alekine’s Defence, Voronezh Variation.  9) .. e5  15)Bb5 Nc6,  25)Rfd1 Ng4 26Bb5  29....Re6
Part 1. 

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Rc1 0–0
9.b3 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 12.c5 N6d7 13.Nf3 Nc6 14.Bc4 Na5 15.Bb5 Nc6
16.Ne4 f5 17.Bc4+ Kf8 18.Neg5 Nf6 19.Nf7 Re8 20.Nd6 Re7 21.0–0 e4 !
22.Ng5 Bd7 23.Nxb7 h6 24.Nh3 g5 25.Rfd1  Diagram 1.



White’s last move was strongly advocated by Watson in the Chess Publishing 1.e4
September 2009 Update. Black cannot respond with the aggressive 25…. f4 due to
26.Bxf4  gxf4  27.Nxf4 Ne5  28.Nd6 ±   The alternative 25.Rcd1 was advocated by Tony Ro
and in my previous posting, I had mentioned a line involving  25.Nd6

25...Ng4 26.Bb5 This move was advocated by Markovic (alias Tony Morse) and it
does seem to be the best move. 26…..Nge5 27.Bxc6 [a) 27.Nxg5 hxg5
28.Bxg5 Re6 29.Nd6 Rg6 30.h4 Be6  Diagram 2.



Black has a slight advantage, because black has an additional knight in the centre and
black’s connected centre pawns, match white’s advanced c pawn and h pawn. Black’s aim is
to place his queen knight to d3 or to amplify the power of his extra knight by exchanging
off some minor pieces.
31.Rc2 Nb4 32.Rcd2 a6 33.Be2 Bh6 34.Bxh6+ Rxh6 35.g3 a5 36.a3 Nbc6 37.Rc1 Rb8 =; 
b) 27.Nd6 f4 28.Bxf4 gxf4 29.Nxf4 a6 30.Bc4 Nb4 31.a3 Nbd3 32.Bxd3 exd3 33.Nd5 Re6
Diagram 3.



White’s pair of knights positioned along the d file dominate many of black’s central squares,
but black has effective resources,
which can function outside the sphere of influence of the knights. Believe it or not the
advanced black d pawn plays a very important role in controlling of the e2 square.
34.Nc7 Rg6 35.Nxa8 Bc6 36.Nc7 Rxg2+ 37.Kf1 Rxh2 Ŧ/=   Diagram 4.



38.Ke1? is bad due to 38….Nf3+ 39.Kf1 Nd2+ 40.Ke1 Nxb3-+  A possible continuation is 
38.f4 Ng4  39.Rxd3 Rh1+ 40.Ke2 Rxc1  41.Nxa6 h5 Ŧ/= ]

27...Bxc6 28.Nd6 f4 29.Bd4 Re6 Diagram 5.



Black bolsters up the centre. As long as the white knight at h3 is out of play, black will be able
to repel white’s offensive pressure.
[29...f3 My initial investigation had shown that white seemed to always get the upper hand.
A few months later  38… Nf7 was discovered and thus the gate crashing confrontational
charge of the f pawn at move 29 does lead to equality. 30.Nf5 Re6 31.Ba1 Rae8
32.Rd6 Rf6 33.Rxf6+ Bxf6 34.Rd1 Bd7 35.Nxh6 Bc8 36.g4 Kg7 37.Nf5+  Diagram 6.



White attempts to undermine the charging kingside pawns. 37...Bxf5 38.gxf5 Nf7 
(38… Nd3 looks more thematic, but it unfortunately loses. 39. Nxg5 Bxa1  40.Rxa1 Kf6 
41.h4 Kxf5  42.Rd1 Nxc5  43.Rd5+ Re5  44.Rxe5+ Kxe5  45.h5 +-) 39.Rd7
(39.Bxf6 Kxf6  40.Rd5 Ne5  41.b4 =)  Rd8   Diagram 7.



40.Rxd8 (40.c6 Rxd7  41.Nxg5 Bxa1  42.Nxg5 Bf3  43.Nxe4 Bd8  44h3 Ŧ/=) Nxd8 
41.Nxg5 Bxa1 42. Nxe4 Nc6= Black should be grateful that in the best line, the
resultant position is equal despite the crumbling of the kingside pawn storm.
30.Nf5 [a) 30.b4 Nd3  Diagram 8.



     Black softens the offensive impact of the opponent’s queen side pawn charge
by blocking the d file. The exchanging off of the white powerful central bishop is inevitable.
31.Bxg7+ Kxg7 32.Rb1 Ba4 33.Rd2 Rb8 Sl Adv Bl  b) 34.Nxe4; 30.Rc3 White prevents the
Nd3 move and prepares a possible doubling of rooks along the c file. 30...Bf6 31.b4 Nf7
32.Bxf6 Rxf6 33.Nxf7 Kxf7 34.Kf1 g4 35.Ng1 f3 Diagram 9.



The difference in versatility of the minor pieces is self evident. The black bishop is
mobile, provides excellent support along the long diagonal and adds extra impact to
the kingside pawn charge. The white knight in contrast is restricted to the back rank and
can only contribute to a defensive role.
36.gxf3 exf3 37.Ke1 a5 38.bxa5 Re6+ 39.Kd2 Rxa5 40.a3 Re5 41.h3 Rb5 42.Rf1
h5 43.hxg4 hxg4 44.Rfc1 Ke6 Ŧ  The white knight is trapped at g1.]

I would like to go back to the variation obtained after

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7
8.Rc1 0–0
9. b3 e5  10. dxe5  dxe5  11. Qxd8 Rxd8  12. c5  N6d7  13. Bc4 Nc6 14. Nf3  Na5 
15. Bb5 Nc6  16. Ne4 
After this position, John Watson and the fórum have analyzed 16…f5 (which some of us append with a “!”), 16.. Nd4 and 16….h6 (which, according to John Watson, was suggested by myself and analyzed by Craig Evans).
I am going back to this move 16….h6 and suggest a different move in their analysis that appears to be Ok for Black. Following John Watson we have 17. Nd6 f5 18. Bc4+ Kh7 19. Nf7 Re8 20. h4 . The move analyzed by John Watson and Craig Evans) in his latest post was 20…Nf6 21. Nd6 Rd8 (isn’t Re7 an improvement? – I will look at it in a subsequent post).

I think Black is Ok after 20…Bf8 (instead of Nf6). First, the move gives a free square for the king since after 20. h4 White was threatening N3g5+. Second, the bishop in f8 together with the knight, still in d7, are targeting c5. Here are some variations:

A)      21. h5 f4 (g5 appears playable as well)

A1) 22. hxg6+ Kxg6 23. Bd2 Nxc5 24. Bc3 and here it appears that any of the moves 24. …Bg4, or Nd3+ or Bg7 are Ok for Black.

A2) 22. Bd2 g5 (Nxc5 might be playable as well) and I don’t see anything better than 23. N3xg5+ hxg5 24.Nxg5+ with perpetual. 23. b4 e4 25. N3xg5+ is similar.

B)      21. Nd6 Rd8

B1) 22. h5 f4 (g5? 23. Bxg5+ hxg5? 24. Nxg5 and White wins)

B11) 23. Bd2 g5 and here I do not see anything better than 24. Nf7 Re8 transposing to a line discussed in A). White can try 24. Nxg5 hxg5 25. Bd3+ but the best it can hope for, is a perpetual. The variation 24. Nxc8 Raxc6 25. Be6 allows 25….Nxc5 (Rc7 is Ok as well – might even be better) 26. Bxc8 Nd3+ 27. Kf1 Rxc8 (Nxc1!? is also a possibility) and Black is a pawn up with a better position.

B12) 23.hxg6 + Kxg6 24. Bd2 Nxc5 and I don’t see any compensation for White for the minus 1 pawn. For instance, 25. Nf7 Re8 transposes to a line discussed in A; after 25. Nxc8 Raxc8 I see White (and not Black) trying to hold the game. First note that 26. 0-0? e4 27. Nh4+ Kh5 -+. The variation after 26 Ke2 (26. Be2 Nd3+; 26. Kf1?!) loses because of 26….e4 (Ne4) 27. Nh4+ Kf6 28. Rhd1 (28. Bc3+ Nd4+ 29. Kf1 Na4 30. Ba1 b5 (Nb6 also wins) 31. Rd1 bxc4 32. Rxd4 (32. Bxd4 Rxd4 33. Rxd4 cxb3 -+; 32. Bxa4 c3 -+) Rxd4 33. Bxd4 Kg5 34. g3 (34. bxa4 Rd8 -+) cxb3 35. gxf4+ Kg4 36. axb3 Rc1+ 37. Kg2 Rxh1 38. Kxh1 Bc5 -+

B2) 22. Bg5 !? hxg5 23. Nxg5+ Kg7 24. Ne6+ Kf6 25. Nxd8 Nxd8 26. h5 (26. Ne8+ Ke7 27. Nc7 Rb8 becomes similar to a line given next) gxh5 27. Rd1 Nxc5 28. Ne8+ Ke7 29. Nc7 Rb8 30 Rxh5 and here I have analyzed (some of these analysis went to move 40) 30….Be6, Nce6, Nde6 and Bd7 and all of them do not appear to give an advantage to White. Consider, for instance, 30….Be6. Then, 31. Bxe6 (Nxe6 Ndxe6 32. Rxf5 ) Ndxe6 32. Nd5+ Ke8 33. Rxf5 Bg7 (Nd7!?) 34 Nf6+ Ke7 (Bxf6!?) 35. Nd5+ Ke8 =.

It seems that Black is still Ok. Comments will be welcome.

lg

     I have looked at the John Watson analysis, which was mentioned at
the September 2009 Alekine Defence Update.

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7
8.Rc1 0–0 9.b3 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 12.c5 N6d7 13.Nf3 Nc6
14.Bc4 Na5 15.Bb5 Nc6 16.Ne4 f5 17.Bc4+ Kf8 18.Neg5 Nf6 19.Nf7 Re8
20.Nd6 Re7 21.0–0 e4 ! 22.Ng5 Bd7 23.Nxb7 h6 24.Nh3 g5 25.Rfd1



     White’s previous move was advocated by John Watson and 25. Rcd1 has be
mentioned by Craig Evans. I had previously looked at  25.Nd6 f4 etc.
     John investigated the continuation
25…f4  26.Bxf4 gxf4  27.Nxf4 Ne5 28. Nd6±

     Black seems to have at least two good lines against the developing
rook move 25. Rfd1, being 25…Ne5 and  the very recently discovered  
25….Ng4!, which I may discuss at a later date. A possible continuation is
26. Nd6 Bb2  27. Rc2 Bd5  etc. The white knight at h3 looks a bit hemmed
in and thus black could slow down the king side pawn attack and also
try to capture a loose queen side pawn or two.

The alternative  25…Rb8 seems also okay.

25... Ne5 Line  

25...Ne5 26.Nd6  John also mentions 25… Ne5 26. Nd6 without
any further discussion, implying that black’s best continuation transposes
to his text main line.
f4 27.Bxf4 (27 Bd4 was very recently contemplated and it is perhaps
very dangerous. From limited analysis. 27......Bg4 28.Re1 Bxh3 29.Bxe5 Rxe5
30.gxh3 Rxc5 31.Nxe4 Nxe4 32.Rxe4 Re5 33.Rxe5 Bxe5 34.Kg2 Rd8 White is a
pawn up, but opposite colour square bishops and terrible king side pawn structure.
Black has good drawing chances?.)      27…. Nxc4 This intermezzo
capture is very important and a key departure of the Watson analysis 28.Rxc4
(28 Nxc4 is also playable and very complicated, but the text seems to be the
critical line) 28….Bxh3 29.Bxg5 hxg5 30.gxh3 e3 ! This allows black to
quick seek counter play the center, if white chooses the “slow but sure” approach
for his queenside pawn charge. 31.fxe3 31...Rxe3 32.h4 ! (32.c6 Ne8
33.Ne4 Rc8  34.Nxg5 Rc3 ! )   32…. Re5 (32…gxh4 may also be playable,
but black’s defensive task will be very difficult. Even if black does survive, there is
the strong possibility of a slight material advantage, but a drawn position due to no
pawns for promotion) 33.c6 Ne8 34.c7 Nxd6 35.Rxd6 Rc8 36.Rd8+ Re8
37.Rxc8 Rxc8 38.hxg5 Be5 39.h4 Rxc7 40. Kg2 Rd7 etc  3p v R. Black is
still clearly in the game. A draw is the most likely outcome.


25... Rb8 Line I have only recently looked at this line and it may be quite okay.
     The knight is forced to  reoccupy
the d6 square. Any intermediate threats of Bd6 and thus winning the exchange
are avoided. 25... Rb8 26.Nd6 f4 27.Bd2 [27.Nxf4 gxf4 28.Bxf4 Bg4
29.Rd2 Be6 30.Bxe6 Rxe6 31.Nf5 Rbe8] 27...Ne5 28.Bc3 Bg4 29.Re1 Bxh3
30.Bxe5 Rxe5 31.gxh3 Rxc5 32.Nxe4 Nxe4 33.Rxe4 Re5 34.Rxe5 Bxe5
White has an extra pawn, but opposite coloured bishops and doubled h
pawns gives black very strong drawing chances.

     Conclusions: The Voronezh line involving  21.0–0 e4 ! 22.Ng5 Bd7 etc
appears to be playable. More investigation is required to give a clearer verdict.

A more detailed analysis may be presented at a later date. I am willing to discuss
about possible variations.