Stefan Buecker wrote on 08/08/11 at 01:23:12:

21.-Rd6 22.f4 Rad8 23.Be2 Bh4 24 Qe4!? seem strong too. I was not able to hold this position as black.

I 've a little 'deviation' at move 15
[Event "?"]
[Site "Long Island"]
[Date "2011.08.11"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Analyse Sharra Hennings"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "D32"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[EventDate "1989.??.??"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "USA"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1996.11.15"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qd1 exd5 7. Qxd5 Bd7 8.
a3 Nf6 9. Qd1 Bc5 10. Nf3 Qe7 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bh4 (12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. e3) 12...
g5 13. Bg3 O-O 14. e3 (14. Qc2 g4) 14... Rfd8 15. Qc2 Nd4!? 16. Nxd4 Bxd4 17.
Be2 (17. Bd3 Rac8 18. O-O Bxc3 19. bxc3= ) 17... Bxc3+ 18. Qxc3 Rac8 19. Qe5
(19. Qb4 Qxb4+ 20. axb4 a6=) 19... Be6 20. Rd1 (20. b4 Nd5 21. h4 Nxb4=)
20... Rxd1+ (20... Rc2!?) (20... Ng4!?) 21. Bxd1 Qd8 (21... Nd7!?) 22. O-O (
22. Qd4 Qxd4 23. exd4 Rc1=) 22... Bc4 23. Re1 Qd2 24. Qc3 (24. f3 Nh5 25.
Ba4 Bd3) 24... Qxc3 25. bxc3 Ne4 26. Be5 Be6 27. Bf3 f5 28. Rc1 b6 *

Can black reach a draw in this endgame (or earlier)

Edit: 25.-Re8 to prevent Be5 is maybe more precise
Is Bronznik give some variations after 12.Bxf6? .It's look a bit better for white too

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Qxd5 Nf6 8.Qd1 Nc6 9.Nf3 Bc5 10.a3 Qe7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 g5 13.Bg3 0-0 14.e3 Rfd8 15.Qc2 g4 16.Bh4 gxf3 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.Bxe7 Bxe7 19.gxf3 Be6

I see that my e-mail to Valeri Bronznik only expressed skepsis regarding the position after 19...Be6, it didn't mention 20.Rg1+ Kh8 21.Rd1. - The position is certainly unclear enough to be tried in practice (if it is ever reached in a game). And even against a prepared opponent Black will often have fun with three pieces against a queen. All that I claim is that White has more fun than Black. Can it be a draw? Of course it can.

For example: 21...Rd6 (21...Bf6, proposed by chessy. I'd like 22.Bc4, hoping for 22...Ne5 23.Be2, and Black's minor pieces keep "swimming") 22.f4 Rad8 23.Be2 Bh4 (23...f5 24.Bc4) 24.f5 Bxf5 25.e4 Bh7 26.Qc4 Ne5 27.Qd4 Bf6 28.Qd2 Nc3 29.Qxd6 Rxd6 30.Rxd6 Nxe4 31.Rd5 b6 32.Kf1. Objectively it may well be a draw, but the position is easier to play for White. Black must always keep an eye on defending pawn a7.

Stefan Buecker wrote on 07/29/11 at 21:58:38:


I believe black can play after 20.Rh1+ Kg8 21.Rd1 Bf6
if 22.f4 then Nce7

a sample line would run (knowing that there are plenty of other moves...) 23Bd3 Rac8 24.Qe2 Bg7 25. Bb1 f5 26.Qh5 Rd6 27.Bd3 (defending active "b2") Rb6 28 b4 Rbc6 29.Rg5 Nf6 30.Qh3 Rc3 31.a4 Bb3 32.Bxf5 Nxf5 33.Rxf5 Bxd1 34 Ne4

I know it quite rediculous to post such a long unforced line, but all of my games/analyses with my silicon ends somewhere in a draw....

Black nearly always places the  pieces, as already mentioned  like Nd5 / Ne7 / Bf6 / Rd6 etc. Ideas to continue  play Nc3, or attack the b2-pawn with b6, or transfer the Be6 to the e8-a4 diagonal.
Thing to be avoided are f4-f5 by white, entering the R to g6 or sometimes sacrifice it on g7.

Then I am sorry for my bad english, nevertheless I hope to get some opinions...   

Smyslov_Fan wrote on 08/04/11 at 02:10:37:

After 3.Nf3 one can't reach the VHS .There 's other post who ask something in the thread

Another idea against The 3.Nf3 move order is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 a6!? (very flexible) like Morozevich versus Pelletier Biel 2011.

NeverGiveUp wrote on 07/28/11 at 14:32:17:

I used shredder's analysisn-tools and let the position go 8 moves ahead with 3 branches each half moves with the a depth of 17

After more than 24 hours it was done... ... the engine still assesses the position as better for white but not so clear as at the beginning in the diagram position.

In most lines the engine likes the set up Rd6 / Rd8 / Be6 / Bf6 / Ne7 / Nd5
often there is a tactical shot with Nc3