patzer2: Here's my look at the game and the Saturday puzzle (29...?) with the chessgames.com opening explorer and Deep Fritz 14:<1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e4 O-O 6. Nf3 e6 7. h3> This move (7. h3) is probably good for equality. However, Fritz slightly prefers the more popular
alternatives:
7. Be2 as in K Dragun vs S Narayanan, 2014
and 7. Bd3 as in D Semcesen vs T Vandenbussche, 2015
<7... exd5 8. exd5 Re8+ 9. Be2 d6 10. O-O Bf5 11. Nh4?!>
Fritz prefers the popular alternative 11. Bd3 as in A Volokitin vs S Maze, 2013
<11... Bd7 12. Bd3 Nxd5 13. Nxd5 Qxh4 14. Nc7 Nc6 15. Nxe8 Rxe8 16. Re1 Re6 17. Rxe6 Bxe6 18. Be3 Bxb2 19. Rb1 Bd4 20. Rxb7 Bxe3 21. fxe3 Qg5 22. Qe2 Ne5 23. Kh2 a5 24. Rb1 h5 25. Rd1 Qh4 26. Kg1 Qg5 27. Kh2 a4 28. a3 Kf8 29. Qd2?> Fritz indicates 29. Qd2? (-1.90 @ 24 depth) is the losing move.
Instead, White can fight on with 29. Rc1 when play might continue 29...Kg7
30. Kh1 Qh4 31. Bc2 Qxc4 32. Qxc4 Nxc4 33. Bxa4 Nxa3 34. Kg1 Kf6 35. Kf2 Ke5
36. Ke2 Bc4+ 37. Kf2 Bd5 38. Ra1 Nc4 39. Bb3 Be6 40. Ra7 Nd2 41. Bxe6 Ne4+ 42. Ke1 fxe6 43. Ra8 d5 44. Rc8 c4 45. Rg8 g5 46. g4 h4
(-0.53 @ 26 depth).
<29... Bxh3!!> This solves today's Saturday puzzle.
My failed attempt was 29... Bxc4!? which levels out after 30. Bxc4 Nxc4 31. Qd3 Nxe3 32. Qxd6+ Kg7 33. Rg1 Ng4+ 34. Kh1 Nf2+ 35. Kh2 Ng4+ 36. Kh1 (Not 36. Kg3? Qe3+ 37. Kh4 Qf2+ 38. g3 Qxg1 39. hxg4 Qh1+ 40. Kg5 Qf3 41. gxh5 Qf5+ 42. Kh4 Qxh5#) 36... Nf2+ 37. Kh2 Ng4+ 38. Kh1 Nf2+ = with a draw by three-fold repetition.
<30. Kxh3>
If 30. gxh3, Black wins after 30...Nf3+ 31. Kh1 Nxd2 32. Rxd2 Qxe3 33. Rd1 Qxh3+ 34. Kg1 Qg4+ 35. Kh2 Qxd1
with Fritz declaring mate-in-nine.
<30... h4!> This essential follow-up ensures the win.
<31. Qe1>
If 31. Kh2, Black wins after 31...Qg3+ 32. Kh1 (32. Kg1 Nf3+
) 32... Ng4 33. Kg1 Qh2+ 34. Kf1 Qh1+ 35. Ke2
Qxg2+ 36. Ke1 Qg3+ 37. Kf1 Nh2+ 38. Qxh2 (38. Ke2 Qg2+ 39. Ke1 Nf3#) 38... Qxh2
(- 11.28 @ 20 depth).
<31... Nxd3 32. Qxh4 Nf2+ 33. Qxf2 Qh5+ 34. Qh4 Qxd1 35. Qd8+>
If 35. Qh8+, Black wins after35...Ke7 36. Qc3 Qb3 37. Qc1 d5 38. cxd5 Qxd5 39. Kg3 c4 40. Qc3 Ke6 41. Kf2 Qd3 42. Qb4 c3
(-4.80 @ 22 depth).
<35... Kg7 36. e4 Qh5+ 37. Kg3 Qe5+ 38. Kh3 Qxe4 39. Qxd6 Qxc4 40.
Qe5+ Kh7 41. g4 Qd3+ 42. Kh4 Qd4 43. Qe8 Kg7 44. Kh3 Qc3+ 45. Kg2 c4 46. Qxa4 Qd2+ 47. Kf3 c3 48. Qe4 c2 49. Qe5+ Kh7 0-1> White resigns as Black will soon have an extra Queen with decisive material advantage.