Summing Up Northumbria

MY score in the Challengers (U2000 Fide) of +2=3-4, including a full-point bye, lost 51.8 Fide elo and 56.4 ECF elo.

Northumbria Round Nine

FACED a Scottish junior (born 2009).

Tushar Roul (1494 Fide/1597 ECF) - Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5

Magnus Carlsen has played seven different moves in this position - can you guess them all?

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Carlsen has played 5.c3, 5.Bxc6!?, 5.Nbd2, 5.Nc3, 5.Bg5, 5.Ba4!? and:

5.0-0

Most popular in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is 5.c3.

5...Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.Re1?!

This may be a novelty. Carlsen seems to have only played the mainline 7.c3.

7...c6 8.Ba4 d6

This may be enough for a tiny pull, but probably better is 8...Qb6!? with a double-attack on f2 and b2. Best-play, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1, continues 9.Qd2!? and either 9...Bxb2 10.Bxb2 Qxb2 11.Bb3!?, with a sharp position that seems to favour Black, or 9...Ng4!? 10.Rf1 Bxb2 11.Bxb2 Qxb2 and 12.Bb3!? or 12.Nc3, again with a sharp position that seems to favour Black.

9.h3!?

The engines give 9.c3 Bb6 10.Be3.

9...Be6

Stockfish16 suggests 9...g5!?, while Komodo14.1 again likes ...Qb6!?

10.c3 Bb6 11.d4 0-0 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 Qe7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Nd2 Rad8 16.Qe2 Rd7 17.Bb3 Rfd8 18.Red1 Rd3 19.Bc2 R3d7 20.Bg3 Bc7 21.Nf3 Qc5 22.Rxd7 Rxd7 23.Bb3 Bxb3 24.axb3 a6 25.b4 Qe7

How would you assess this late-middlegame position?

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White has pressure against e5, while Black occupies the open file. The engines reckon the position is completely equal.

26.Qe3 Nh5 27.Kf1?!

Bishops are not particularly powerful in this position as there are so many pawns on the board and the centre is fixed, but White probably should not allow his kingside pawn-formation to be damaged, although he does end up with knight against bad-ish bishop.

27...Nxg3 28.fxg3 Qd8 29.Ke2?

Better is 29.Qe2.

29...Bb6 30.Qc1 Qf6?

Strong is 30...Rd3, eg 31.Qc2 Re3+ 32.Kf1 Qf6 33.Rd1 (the engines reckon either this or 33.Ra3!? is best) 33...Rxf3+! 34.gxf3 Qxf3+ 35.Ke1 Qxg3+ with Black getting much more than enough for the exchange.

31.Qc2 Qe6 32.b3 Qe7 33.Rd1 Rxd1 34.Qxd1 c5 35.c4!? cxb4 36.Qd5 Qc5 37.Qxc5 Bxc5 38.Nxe5

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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Black has fewer pawn-islands and has hopes of creating a queenside passer, but White's knight will be able to use d5 as a strong outpost. The engines reckon Black has the better side of equality.

38...f6 39.Nd3 b6 40.Kf3 Bd6 41.g4!?

The engines prefer 41.Nf4 or 41.Ke3.

41...Kf7 42.Ke3 Ke6 43.Ne1

TR offered a draw.

43...Be5 44.Kd3 a5 45.Nc2 Bd6 46.Nd4 Ke5 47.g3

TR offered a draw.

47...g6 48.Nc6+ Ke6 49.Nd4+ Kd7 50.Ne2 Be5 51.Nf4 Bg5 52.Nd5

TR offered a draw in my time (just).

52...Kc6 53.Ne7+

Possibly better is the engines' 53.h4!? Kc5 54.h5.

53...Kc5 54.Nd5?!

Probably better is 54.h4, and if, as in the game, 54...b5, then 55.cxb5 Kxb5 56.Ng8 gives sufficient counterplay. However Black has 54...a4! 55.bxa4 b3 with promising play (Stockfish16 reckons White may be holding; Komodo14.1 gives Black the upper hand).

54...b5 55.cxb5 Kxb5 56.Kc2 a4 57.bxa4+ Kxa4 58.Nb6+ Kb5

The engines reckon 58...Ka3 wins, but I do not think it does.

Position after 58...Ka3

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The engines' mainline after 58...Ka3 runs 59.Nc4+ Ka2 60.Na5 Bc7 61.Nb3 Bxg3 62.Nc1+ Ka3 63.Nb3 Be5 64.Nd2 Ka2 65.Nb3, after which Komodo14.1 reckons Black's advantage is worth +2.04, while Stockfish16 reckons Black is about +6.00, but there seems no way for Black to make progress. But see Comments below.

Back to the game:

59.Nd5 Kc4 60.Ne3+ Kd4 61.Nf5+

TR offered a draw.

61...Kxe4 62.Kb3 Kf3

Or 62...h5 63.Kxb4 (63.gxh5?? Kxf5) hxg4 64.hxg4 Kf3 65.Nh6 Kxg3, reaching a position similar to what is reached in the game. Komodo14.1 suggests instead 65...Bd6+!?, but 66.Kc4 Bf8 67.Ng8 Bg7 68.Ne7 Kxg4, but 69.Kd5 is a tablebase draw, although this may have given better practical chances.

63.Kxb4 Bxg3 64.Kc4

TR offered a draw in my time (just).

64...Kg2 65.Nxh6 Kxh3 66.Kd5 Be5 67.Ke4 Kg3 68.Kf5 Kf3 69.Ng8 Bd4 70.Nh6 Ke3 71.Ng8 Be5 72.Nh6 Kf3 ½–½

Northumbria Round Eight

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Nicholas Fallowfield (1875 Fide/1930 ECF)

Alekhine

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

Some of White's moves will probably have looked odd to those unfamiliar with Alekhine's Defence, but there are 2,660 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database

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One of the points of White's play is Black at some point may want to grab a bigger share of the centre by playing ...d5. If that happens it is often desirable to reply c5, and White wants to do this without allowing Black in turn to reply ...Nc4. Whether White's somewhat artificial-looking manoeuvres are worth it is another matter, but Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the diagrammed position is slightly better for White.

9...Bf5!?

More popular are 9...e5 and especially 9...Nc6, but the text is easily the most successful percentagewise, scoring 53% in Mega23 against 9...e5's 41% and 9...Nc6's  34%.

10.Bd3!?

This is something of a sideline, the most popular moves being 10.Be2 and 10.Nf3.

10...Bxd3 11.Qxd3 d5!?

As advertised, although after ...

12.c5 Nc8

... White is ahead on development and has more queenside space. On the other hand Black has the better bishop and perhaps has hopes of forcing through the lever ...e5. The engines slightly prefer White.

13.Nf3 Nc6 14.Bf4!?

This may be a novelty. The known move is 14.0-0, when Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2608) - Javokhir Sindarov (2513), Central Asia U20 Championship (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) 2019, continued 14...e6 15.a3 N8e7 16.b4 a6 17.Na4, after which Komodo14.1 at first gives White the upper hand, while Stockfish16 gives White a slight edge. However, the more time the engines are given to look at the position, the more they  like Black's chances, albeit preferring White, who went on to win in 49 moves. Note that meeting 14.0-0 with 14...e5?! runs into 15.dxe5, uncovering the weakness of d5.

How should Black respond to the apparent novelty?

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14...Nxd4!?

The engines suggest 14...e6.

15.Nxd4 e5 16.0-0!?

Best, according to the engines, is 16.Bxe5 Bxe5 17.0-0, after which Black's IQP is passed but well-blockaded, and meanwhile White has a fairly mobile queenside pawn-majority.

16...exf4 17.Rfd1 Re8

Black equalises with 17...Ne7, according to the engines.

How should White proceed?

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18.c6!?

This leads to interesting play, but the engines prefer 18.Qf3.

18...Bxd4?

Better are 18...Rb8 and 18...Ne7.

19.cxb7 Bxf2+ 20.Kf1?!

This is good enough for an advantage, but there was no need to be so cute. After 20.Kxf2 Qb6+ 21.Qd4 Qxb7 White has 22.Nxd5, threatening two deadly forks (at f6 and c7), and Black cannot prevent both.

20...Rb8 21.bxc8=Q Rxc8 22.Kxf2

White is up a knight for two pawns, but Black has practical chances based on the passed d pawn, the weakness of the white king, and the outpost at e3

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22...Re3 23.Qd2!

This is best as 23.Qxd5? loses to  23...Qh4+ 24.Kg1 Rcxc3, the point being 25.Rxc3?? fails to 25...Re1+ 26.Rxe1 Qxe1#. If White tries 24.Kf1!?, hoping for 24...Qxh2 25.Ne2, after which White is at least equal, Black wins with 24...Rce8.

23...d4! 24.Nb5?

Also incorrect is 24.Qxd4? as 24...Qxd4 25.Rxd4 R(either)xc3 26.Rxc3 Rxc3 draws. But note that 24...Qh4+ can be met by 25.Kf1!, when 25...Rce8? fails to 26.Nd5, while 25...Qxh2 26.Ne2 is at least slightly better for White.

24...Qh4+?

The engines reckon 24...d3 25.Rxc8 Qxc8 26.Kf1 Qc5 27.Nc3 f3 is completely equal, and also 24...Rxc1 25.Rxc1 d3, albeit both lines involve sharp play.

25.Kg1 Rxc1 26.Rxc1

Not 26.Qxc1? Re2 27.Rf1 f3!

26...d3 27.Nd4 Qd8 28.Qc3 Qd5 29.Qb4 Kg7 30.Rd1?

Both 30.Rc8 and 30.Nf3 are winning.

30...Qe4 31.Qc3 Kh6?

The engines reckon Black is worse, but not losing, after 31...f6.

32.Nf3?

Strong is 32...Rf1.

Black to play and win

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32...Rxf3!

The rook cannot be taken, eg 33.gxf3? Qe3+ results in a very easily won queen-and pawn-ending.

I struggled on with 33.Qd2 Qd4+ 34.Kh1 Rf2 35.Qe1 Qe3. 36.Qb4, but eventually lost on time as I was about to be mated (0-1, 51 moves).

Northumbria Round Seven

FACED a junior (born 2013) in today's single-round.

Sujan Nargund (1480 Fide/1580 ECF) - Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF)

French Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6!?

There are five much-more popular moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database. The text first appears in a 1948 game, but was later tried by, among others, Mikhail Botvinnik.

4.Ngf3 c5

One of the ideas behind 3...a6!? is to play ...c5 without allowing the reply Bb5+.

5.exd5 exd5 6.Be2

A little-more popular in Mega23, but less successful percentage-wise, is 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.Bd3 Qe7+ 9.Qe2, with White maybe having a slight edge, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

6...Nc6

The main move in Mega23 is 6...c4!?, but 6...Nf6 and the text are also popular.

7.c3!?

7.c3!? may be a novelty, but has a drawback, as will become clear, although the position after it has been reached 14 times in Mega23 via other move-orders

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7...Nf6 8.0-0 cxd4 9.cxd4 Bd6

The pawn-structure is more-or-less equal, but the black queen's knight and king's bishop are better placed for it than their white counterparts

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10.Re1 0-0 11.Nb3!?

Ukrainian grandmaster Yuriy Kryvoruchko played 11.Nf1 in a 2008 rapid game, but the engines prefer the text.

11...Ne4 12.Bd3 Re8 13.a3!?

Presumably played so Qc2 cannot be met by ...Nb4.

13...Bg4

How should White proceed?

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14.Be2?!

Although this is the third time the white king's bishop has moved, breaking the pin on the king's knight seems a natural thing to do. The engines suggest 14.Be3.

14...Qf6

The other obvious queen move, 14...Qc7, can be met by 15.g3. Black is better after both moves, but the engines point out the strength of 14...Bxf3! 15.Bxf3 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2 (less damaging, according to the engines, is 16.Kf1!?, but that leaves Black up a pawn and with a continuing attack) Qh4+ 17.Kg1 Qxf2+ 18.Kh2 Qg3++ 19.Kg1 Nf2 with very strong play.

15.h3?!

Another natural-looking move, but again it allows a strong sacrificial combination, and this time I find it.

Black to play and win

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15...Bxh3!

The start of a double-piece sacrifice.

16.gxh3 Qg6+ 17.Kh1??

This allows mate-in-one. Critical is 17.Kf1.

Position that would arise after 17.Kf1

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I had planned 17...Nxf2! (the engines reckon 17...Qf5 is also good) 18.Kxf2 Qg3+ 19.Kf1 Qxh3+, after which, materially, Black only has three pawns for bishop and knight, but the attack is winning, eg 20.Kg1 Qg3+ 21.Kf1 Re6 22.Qd3 Qh3+ 23.Kf2 Bg3+ 24.Kg1 Bxe1 25.Nxe1 Rg6+ 26.Kf2 Qh4+ 27.Ke3 Qg5+ 28.Kf2 Qg1+ 29.Kf3 Qg3#.

The game finished with a much quicker mate:

17...Nf2#

Northumbria Round Six

RECEIVED a full-point bye.

Northumbria Round Five

BOTTOM-board clash.

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Richard Porter (1800 Fide/1885 ECF)

QGD Exchange

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 7.Bf4!?

The main move is 7.Bh4, but the text and 7.Bxf6!? are also tried from time-to-time.

7...Bd6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6

How would you judge the exchange of Black's good bishop for White's technically bad, but active, bishop?

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It is hard to say whom the exchange favours. Stockfish16 reckons White now has a slight edge, while Komodo14.1 calls the position equal.

9.Bd3 0-0 10.Qc2 Re8 11.Nf3 Nbd7 12.0-0 Nf8 13.a3 a5 14.Ne5 Ng4 15.Nxg4 Bxg4 16.Na4!?

The Minority Attack is not White's only queenside plan in this type of position.

16...Bh5 17.Nc5 b6 18.Na4 Nd7 19.Rac1 b5 20.Nc5 Nxc5 21.Qxc5 Re6!

This is Black's only defence, eg 21...Qxc5? 22.Rxc5 Re6 23.Rfc1 Ra6 loses to White capturing on d5 or b5.

22.Rc3

If 22.Bf5, then 22...Rf6 holds, but not 22...Qxc5 23.Rxc5 Rf6 24.Bd7 etc, nor 23...Rd6 24.Rfc1 etc.

How should Black proceed?

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22...Qd8!
Black avoids an exchange of queens, which would largely nullify Black's kingside counterplay, and at the same time highlights the awkwardness of White having a queen as a lead attacker along a file that can be defended by a lesser piece.

23.Rc1!? Bg6 24.Qc2 Qg5 25.Qd2

If 25.f4, hoping for 26.f5, then simply 25...Bxd3.

25...Bxd3 26.Qxd3 Rg6 27.g3 h5 28.h4!?

Possible, as 28...Qxh4?? loses to 29.Qxg6 etc.

28...Qf6 29.Rc5 Re8 30.Rfc1?!

Probably safer is 30.Kg2.

30...Qf3

During the game I was more worried about 30...Rf6, thinking it facilitated ...Qxh4, but the engines give 31.Kg2, and if 31...Qxh4 then 32.Rxc6.

31.Rxc6

The engines reckon 31.Qf1!? may be slightly better.

Black to play and gain a maybe winning advantage

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31...Rxg3+

This is enough for a draw, but the engines point out the strength of 31...Rxe3!, eg 32.Qxe3 Rxg3+ 33.Kf1 Qg2+ 34.Ke1 Rxe3+ 35.fxe3 Qxb2, after which Black has queen and two pawns for a pair of rooks, and White has numerous weak pawns. Best seems to be the engines' 32.Qf1!?, but after 32...Rxc6 33.Rxc6 Re2 the engines reckon Black has at least a slight edge.

32.fxg3 Qxg3+ 33.Kf1 Qf3+ 34.Kg1

Now 34...Rxe3?? loses to 35.Rc8+ Re8 36.Rxe8#, but also disastrous is 34...Re4?? 35.Rc8+ Kh7 36.Re8.

34...Qg3+ ½–½

Northumbria Round Four

FACED a Scot.

Chris Sykes (1766 Fide/1990 ECF) - Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF)

New London

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bg3 Nf6 5.Nd2 b6 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.Ngf3 Ne4!?

Swedish grandmaster Nils Grandelius has three games in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database that reach the position after 7.Ngf3. In the first two he played 7...Nbd7, but then switched to the text.

How should White respond?

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8.Bxe4!?

Commonest in Mega23 is 8.c3. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 suggest the apparent novelty 8.c4!?, but they are also OK with other moves, eg 8.Rc1.

8...dxe4 9.Ne5 Nd7!?

This may be new. Known moves are 9...0-0 and 9...Bxe5!?

10.Qg4!? Nxe5

The engines reckon Black may have an edge after 10...0-0.

11.dxe5 Bf8 12.0-0-0 h5!? 13.Qe2 h4 14.Bf4 g5??

Correct is 14...Qe7, when 15.Qb5+ Qd7!? (not 15...c6? 16.Qe2 as 16...c5 can be met by 17.Nxe4! with Nd6+ to come) 16.Qxd7+ Kxd7 17.Nxe4 Ke8 leaves Black a pawn down but with the bishop-pair and good play, eg 18.f3 Bxe4 19.fxe4 Be7 should be fine for Black. If instead 18.Nc3 then both 18...Bxg2 and 18...h3!? are available.

15.Nxe4 Qc8

Objectively better is giving up the queen.

16.Nf6+ Ke7 17.Bxg5 Bh6 1-0

Northumbria Round Three

Faced a Spanish junior (born 2010)

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Nicholas Kowalski Rubiales (1694 Fide/1708 ECF)

Philidor

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.f4 e5 5.Nf3

Considered harmless is 5.fxe5 dxe5 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Qxd8+, as after 7...Kxd8 the black king is not in danger.

5...exd4 6.Qxd4

The queen is not easily harassed here, so the text is much more popular than 6.Nxd4.

6...c6 7.Be2

Normal is 7.Be3, one point being 7...Ng4 can be met by 8.Bg1.

How should Black proceed?

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7...Qb6

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon Black equalises with 7...d5!?, eg 8.exd5 Bc5 9.Qd3 Nd5 10.Nxd5 cxd5, when 11.Qxd5!? is risky in view of 11...Qa5+, eg 12.Qd2 Qb6! with obvious compensation.

8.Qxb6 Nxb6?!

Probably better is 8...axb6, the half-open a file, and the fact the a pawn now covers two squares instead of one, being more than enough compensation for doubled pawns.

9.a4 Bg4 10.a5 Nbd7 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3

White's bishop-pair and extra space are positionally winning (Stockfish16), or at least give the upper hand (Komodo14.1)

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12...g6?!

Since the dark-square bishop needs to defend the weak d pawn, the text is almost certainly a waste of time and weakening.

13.Be3 Be7?!

Black probably needs to play 13...a6.
14.0-0?!

Much stronger is 14.a6, eg 14...b6 runs into 15.e5.

14...0-0?!

Again ...a6 is probably necessary.

15.Rad1

Still good is a6, but the text is also positionally winning, according to the engines.

15...a6 16.g4 Ne8 17.Na4 Bd8 18.b4 Bc7 19.c4 Rd8 20.Rd3

Even stronger is 20.c5, eg 20...dxc5 21.Nxc5 Nxc5 22.Rxd8 Bxd8 23.Bxc5, winning the exchange. One suggestion of the engines is 20...g5!? 21.fxg5 Ne5, but they agree White is winning.

20...Nef6 21.Rfd1!? Rfd8 22.c5

This is strong, but best seems to be the engines' 22.Bb6!?, eg 22...Bxb6+ 23.axb6 Nxe4 24.Bxe4 Rxe4 25.Rxd6, or 22...Nxb6 23.axb6 Bb8 24.Nc5 Re7 25.e5 Ne8 26.Ne4.

22...Nxe4 23.cxd6 Nxd6 24.Kf2?

Black cannot avoid losing significant material after the engines' 24.Bf2.

24...Nf8?

The engines reckon 24...Nc4 and 24...Nf6 equalise.

25.Nc5?

Easily winning is 25.Bb6.

25...Ne6?!

The engines reckon 25...Nc4 and 25...h6 keep Black's disadvantage to a minimum.

26.Nxb7??

White is much better after 26.Nxe6 Rxe6 27.f5.

26...Nxc7 27.Bxc6 Rxd3 28.Rxd3 Rb8

Even stronger is 28...Rd8!

29.Rd7

What should Black play?

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29...Nbd8

Probably better is the engines' 29...Nd6!?

30.f5 Nxc6?!

Probably better are 30...Bf4 and 30...Rxb4!?

31.fxe6 Be5?!

Not 31...Be8?? as 32.exf7+ mates, but Black should probably have given the piece back by 31...fxe6 32.Rxc7, when 32...Nxb4 leaves Black a pawn up, but White has the better pieces.

32.exf7+ Kh8 33.Bc5

The engines prefer putting the king on a light square, for example 33.Ke2!?

33...Bg7 34.Rc7?

Better is 34.Rd6 Ne5 35.Rxa6. After 35...Nxf7? 36.Rb6 the white queenside pawns are too strong, so Black has to play 35...Nd3+ and 35...Nxc5, when the engines reckon White has just a slight edge.

34...Bd4+ 35.Bxd4 Nxd4 36.Re7?!

White is equal after 36.Ke3 or 36.Rb7!?, according to the engines.

36...Rf8 37.Ra7 Nc6 38.Rxa6 Rxf7+ 39.Ke2 Nxb4 40.Rb6 Nd5 41.Rd6?!

There are more drawing chances, according to the engines, with 41.Rb8+ Kg7 42.a6.

41...Nf4+ 42.Kd2 Nxh3 43.a6 Kg7 44.Rb6 Kh6 45.Rb7 Rf2+ 46.Ke3 Ra2 47.a7 Rc3+ 48.Kd4 Nf2 49.g5+ Kxg5 50.Rxh7

Black to play and win

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50...Kg4

The engines give the only winning move as 50...Ra5!

51.Kc5 Ne4+ 52.Kb6 g5

White to play and draw

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53.Kb7??

The obvious 53.Rh8 is one of several moves that draw.

53...Nd6+ 54.Kb8

Or 54.Kc6 Nb8 etc, while 54.Ka8, hoping for stalemate, loses to 54...Rc3.

54...Rb3+ 55.Kc7 Nb5+ 56.Kc6 Nxa7 57.Rxa7 Rd3 58.Rg7 Kh4 59.Kc5 g4 60.Kc4 Rd8 0-1

Northumbria Round One

FACED a teen (born 2004).

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Owen Crawford (no Fide/1740 ECF)

Veresov

1.Nc3 Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.Bg5 g6!?

This is only the seventh commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, which is slightly surprising when one considers how popular kingside fianchetto systems are against 1.d4.

4.Qd2 Bg7 5.Bh6 Bxh6 6.Qxh6 c5 7.dxc5!? Qa5 8.0-0-0!? Qxc5 9.e3

How should Black proceed?

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9...a6!?

This apparent novelty - known moves are 9...Nc6 and 9...Bg4 - is the top choice of Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

10.Nf3 Bg4 11.Be2 Nbd7 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Rc8?

Over optimistic. The obvious 13...e6 is better, as is 13...Nb6,

How should White continue?

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14.Rd2?

Naturally not 14.Nxd5?? Qxc2#, but 14.Bxd5 safely wins a pawn. I rejected it because of 14...b5, missing that 15.Rd2, among other moves, is fine as 15...b4?! can be met by either 16.Ne4 or 16.Na4.

14...Qa5 15.Kb1 Ne5

What should White play?

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16.Rhd1?

This would have been the best reply to 15...Nc5?, but here it is disastrous. The engines reckon the game is equal after both 16.Rd4 and 16.Rxd5!?

How can Black punish White's error?

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16...Rxc3!

This is winning, according to the engines.

17.Rxd5!

The best try. After 17.Bxd5 Rc8 Black is piece-for-pawn up.

17...Nxd5?

The simple 17...Rc5 is much better. White can keep the game going with either 18.Rd8+!? Qxd8 19.Rxd8+ Kxd8 20.Bxb7, or 18.Rxc5 Qxc5 19.Bxb7, but in both cases Black's material advantage should tell.

18.Bxd5?

After 18.Qg7 Rf8 19.Qxe5 Rc8 20.Rxd5 White is the exchange down, but has a pawn and superior coordination.

18...Rd3!?

This may be better - the engines disagree - than the simple 18...Rc5.

19.cxd3 Qxd5

Black has emerged from the complications up a knight for a pawn, and White is doomed once the black rook gets into play

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20.Qg7 Rf8 21.e4

No improvement is 21.Qxh7 Qxg2.

21...Qb5 22.f4 Nc6 23.Qc3 Qa4 24.Rc1 Kd7 25.Qg7 Rc8!

White has found a way to quickly get the rook into play.

26.Qxf7

This sets up a beautiful finish, but White was lost anyway.

Black to play and finish in style

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26...Nb4! 27.Rxc8 Qd1+ 28.Rc1 Qd3+ 29.Ka1 Nc2+ 0-1