Messiah: 21...h6 22.♘f3 ♗f8 is the proper way.
22...h6 23.♘f3 seems to be the better path, where black has possibilities like ♗e6, d5 or even ♘e7. 22...♕b7 is also considerable. The position is complicated in both cases.
24...bxc4 25.♗xc4 ♗c6 (to remove the ♕ from the d-file) 26.♕c2 ♗b5! 27.♗g5 ♗xc4 is a rich position for white, where both 28.bxc4 and 28.♕xc4 are playable. In this line 25...♘g6 or even 25...♗e6!? could be considered. In any case, black can fight.
24...♘g6 might be even better. The absolutely weird 24...♖b8?! is also considerable.
25...♗c7? 26.♗g5! +-
25...♕c7 leads to a complicated position, but it is clear that white has the upper hand after 26.cxd6 ♕xd6 27.♗c4 ♗e6 28.♗xe6 ♕xe6 29.♗xb4 ♘c6.
25...♘c6 is almost as sad as capturing on c5, because 26.cxd6 ♘xa5 27.♗c1 prepares to plant a dangerous ♗ on b2, whereas 26...♗xa5? or 26...♕b8?! (with the idea of capturing ♙d6 with the ♕) are even worse than 26...♘xa5, because both of them allow an instant 27.♗c4 with a pretty uncomfortable pressure on black's kingside.
The silicon monster wishes the very counter-intuitive 26...♘g6 27.♘xg6 (27. ♘xd7 ♕xd7 seems to be defendable with black) hxg6 28.e5 ♘h7, but as I don't understand the resulting structure, I leave it uncommented.
30...♕c6 with putting the knights on the 6th rank offers some chances to defend an already pretty bad position.
31...♘g6 was probably the only way not to get dead lost very soon, or maybe 31...♘d4. In all cases, defending the c5 pawn seems to be impossible.
Black's only hope was 33...♘e6, however, after 34.♘d6 ♖xd6 35.exd6 ♕d7 36.♗c1! with an incoming ♗b2 the defence is a nightmare, and against Gashimov I don't think any human being was able make a draw from this, especially in a time trouble. 33...♘g6 34.♗c1 is also very good for white.
Bottom line: black's possibilities on the 24th move should be analyzed very deeply; 26...♘g6 is also interesting.
Kibitzing
sac: 32.Rxa5
icon.
(followed by ...Qxd6) was the best defense. 27.Be3 Qxd6 28.Re2 ]
Bc7 27.Nxd7 Nxd7 28.f4 It's obvious that the pawn swap favored White, who controls the center and is ready to launch a kingside attack.
