Bad Bertrich 50+ Game One

Playing hall

Jürgen Dieter (1769) - Spanton (1997)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess this position, which occurs 20,723 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database? 

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White's extra space gives a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

9...Bd7 10.Rc1

This is a popular alternative to 10.Qd2, after which the main line in Mega26 runs 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.f3 a5 13.b3 Nd7!? 14.Be3!? (exchanging dark-square bishops is generally regarded as favouring Black in the Maróczy Bind) Nc5 15.Rab1, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines.

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.f3 a5 13.Qd2

White often plays 13.b3, partly to prevent Black's next, but the text is also common.

13...a4 14.Rfd1 Nd7!? 15.Bxg7!?

As explained in the note to White's 10th move, White normally likes to keep dark-square bishops on the board in these lines, but the text has been played by Judit Polgár.

15...Kxg7 16.Nd5 Bxd5

Judit Polgár (2682) - Rauf Mamedov (2639), President's Cup Rapid (Baku, Azerbaijan) 2010, went 16...Kg8 17.Qe3 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Qa5 19.Qc3 Qb6+ 20.Qd4 Qa5 21.f4, with an equal game, according to the engines (but 0-1, 58 moves).

17.Qxd5!?

The engines prefer 17.cxd5.

17...Qb6+ 18.Qd4 Qxd4+ 19.Rxd4

How would you assess this queenless late-middlegame?

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Black has the better minor piece, and enjoys a slight edge, according to the engines.

19...Rfc8 20.Rd2 Ra5 21.Rdc2 Rac5 22.Rc3 Nb6 23.Kf2 e6!? 24.Ke3 Kf6 25.f4 h5 26.g3 Nd7 27.Kd4

The engines suggest pressurising d6 with 27.Rd3 or 27.Rd1, claiming complete equality.

27...e5+!?

The backward d pawn should not prove a liability, and meanwhile Black has created an outpost at d4 for the knight.

28.Ke3 R5c6 29.Bd1 Nc5 30.Ra3?!

Stockfish18 suggests 30.b4 or 30.b3, while Dragon1 prefers shuffling rooks with 30.R1c2 or 30.R3c2.

30...Ra6?!

White has problems after 30...Rb6!?, eg 31.Rc2 exf4+ 32.gxf4 Re8 33.Bf3 Nxe4! 34.Bxe4 d5!, while after 31.b3 the engines give 31...h4!? 32.bxa4 Rb2 33.Rc2 Rxc2 34.Bxc2 hxg3 35.hxg3 Rh8, claiming much the better game for Black.

31.Rac3 Rb6 32.R1c2 Rb4 33.Be2 Rc6 34.Rd2 Ke7 35.Rd3 Rcb6 36.Rcc2 Ne6 37.Rf2

The engines suggest 37.c5!?, albeit preferring Black after 37...exf4+ 38.gxf4 Nxc5.

37...Nd4 38.Rcd2 Ke6 39.Bf1 Ke7 40.Kd3??

Black to play and win

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40...Rc6?

Missing mate-in-two with 40...Rb3+! 41.axb3 Rxb3#.

41.Ke3?

The king should have continued moving to the queenside with 41.Kc3.

41...Rc8

Black has the upper hand after this, but the engines point out the strength of 41...b5!, eg 42.cxb5 Rc1! 43.fxe5 dxe5, when White seems unable to meet Black's threats, eg 44.Rd3 Re1+ 45.Kd2 Rxe4, or 44.Be2 Nc2+ 45.Kf3 a3! 46.bxa3 Ne1+ 47.Ke3 Rc3+ 48.Bd3 Rd4, or 44.b3!? axb3 45.Rb2 Rc3+ 46.Kd2 bxa2! 47.Rxa2 Rbb3 48.Ra7+ Kd8 49.Ra8+ Kd7 50.Ra7+ Kc8 51.Ra2 Nf3+ 52.Ke2 Rd3 53.Rg2 Kb7 54.h3 Re3+ 55.Kf2 Ng5 - tricky lines, especially the third one, but in each case Black emerges on top.

42.Bd3 Ra8

Opening a second front with 42...h4!? is strongest, according to the engines.

43.Rf1 Ne6 44.Rdf2 exf4+ 45.gxf4 Nc5 46.f5?!

The engines prefer 46.Rc2 or 46.h4.

46...g5 47.Kd4

How should Black proceed?

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47...f6

The engines give 47...Nxd3!?48.Kxd3 Rc8 49.Rc2 b5!?, eg 50.cxb5 Rxc2 51.Kxc2 Rxb5, reckoning the rook-and-pawn ending is winning for Black.

48.Rd2 Nd7

Exchanging on d3 is still strong, according to the engines, and they also like 48...b5!?

49.Kc3 Rb6 50.Be2 h4 51.Rc1 Rc6 52.Rdc2 Ne5 53.Kb4 Rb6+

The engines like pushing on the kingside with 53...g4!?

54.Ka3!?

This looks risky, but Dragon1 is convinced it is best, although Stockfish18 is less sure.

54...Nd7 55.Rc3 Nc5 56.Bd3 Rg8 57.h3!?

Another white pawn on a light square, but it holds up Black's kingside pawn-majority.

57...Kd7 58.R1c2?

Both 58.Bc2 and 58.Rg1 leave White only slightly worse, according to the engines.

What should Black play?

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58...Re8?

Missing the strength of 58...Ra8 and 58...Kc6, eg 58...Ra8 59.Rd2 Kc6 60.Rdc2?! Rb3+! 61.Rxb3 (61.axb3 axb3+ 62.Kb4 Ra4#) axb3+ 62.Kb4 bxa2. Better is 60.Rc1, but 60...Nb3! wins at least the exchange.

59.Re2 Rc8 60.Rec2?

Setting up the same lines for Black as in the last note.

60...Nb3?

Seeing the idea, but missing that the way to implement it is with ...Ra8 or ...Kc6.

61.Rf2 Na5!? 62.Rfc2 Rbc6 63.Be2 b6 64.Kxa4!?

After all the manoeuvring and black pressure, it is White who goes ahead on material

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64...Ra8 65.Kb4 Nb7?

Black has full compensation for a pawn after 65...Rc5, according to the engines.

How should White proceed?

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66.Ra3?

Black is in trouble after 66.Bf3 Nc5 67.b3 (67.e5? allows a perpetual by 67...Ra4+ 68.Kb5 Ra5+ etc), eg 67...Ra5 68.Re3 (68.e5?? Na6#) 69.Rd2 Kc7 70.Bh5!? Rf8 71.Re1!? Raa8 72.a4, although there is no immediate breakthrough. The engines reckon 66.b3, with similar ideas, is also good.

66...Rxa3 67.Kxa3 Nc5?!

Probably better is 67...Rc8, intending to meet 68.b4 with 68...Nd8!?

White to play and gain a large advantage

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68.Bf3

The engines give 68.b4! Nxe4! 69.c5! (69.Bf3 d5) Rc7 (White threatened 70.Bb5, pinning the black rook against the king) 70.Bb5+ Kc8 71.Re2! Nc3 72.Ba6+ Kd7 73.cxb6! Rc6 74.Re6 Rxb6 75.Bc4, with the upper hand (Dragon1) for White, or even a won game (Stockfish18).

68...Nd3?

The engines reckon 68...Rc8 holds.

69.Rc3?

JD offered a draw, but he would probably have been winning after 69.e5 Rc5 70.e6+.

After 69.Rc3?, how would you assess the ending?

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White's extra pawn gives at least a slight edge, but Black should probably hold.

69...Ne5 70.Kb3?!

Probably better is 70.Be2, although Stockfish18 becomes a lot less enthusiastic if given plenty of time.

70...Rc5?!

After 70...b5 71.Be2 (71.cxb5?? Rxc3+ and 72...Nxf3) bxc4+ Black has equalised as 72.Bxc4? loses to 72...Rxc4 73.Rxc4 Nxc4 74.Kxc4 g4 etc.

71.Be2 Kc6

Not 71...b5?? as the simple 72.cxb5 wins.

72.Kc2 Ra5 73.a3 Ra8 74.b4 Nd7 75.Kb3 Re8 76.Bf3 Re5 77.a4 Kc7 78.Rd3 Kc6 79.Rc3 ½–½

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Five

FACED a Russian.

Spanton (1915) - Sergei V Ivanov (2029)

Spanish Classical Deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Bc5!?

There are 5,384 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

How should White respond?

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5.c3

This is second in popularity in Mega26 to 5.0-0, which scores two percentage points better.

5...Nge7!?

This is the main continuation.

6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 d5!?

Immediate castling allows 9.d5.

9.e5 0-0 10.h3!?

This time it is White who has cause not to castle 'automatically'. After 10.0-0 Bg4 Black  is building pressure on White's centre, eg Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2758) - Rudik Makarian (2502), Chess.com Blitz 2022, went 11.Be3?! (this is the main move in Mega26, albeit from a small sample size) f6 12.e6!? Bxe6, when White had nowhere near enough for the sacrificed pawn (0-1, 56 moves). Vachier-Lagrave avoided the natural-looking 12.exf6?! as White cannot avoid having his kingside smashed after 12...Rxf6. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon White should play the known 11.Qd3, or an apparent-novelty in 11.Bg5!?

10...h6 11.0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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White has more space in the centre, and a kingside pawn-majority, which could give attacking chances. The half-open c file might also prove useful. Black may be able to generate pressure against d4, and has no major weaknesses. The engines give White a slight edge.

11...Bf5 12.Be3

This is the engines' second choice, behind 12.Ne2!?

12...f6 13.exf6 Rxf6 14.Rc1

The engines much prefer 14.Ne5 or 14.Bb3.

14...Qc8!?

White's central space advantage has been dissolved, and suddenly it is Black who has the better kingside chances, thanks to having more-active pieces on that wing. Note that the same idea with 14...Qd7?! runs into 15.Ne5.

15.Bxc6!?

This is probably best.

15...bxc6 16.Ne5?!

The engines slightly prefer 16.Kh2, meeting 16...Bd6+ with 17.Ne5.

How should Black proceed?

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16...Rb8

The sacrifice 16...Bxh3! is already on as 17.gxh3? Qxh3 gives Black a winning position, according to the engines, eg 18.Qd3 (18.Qg4? Rg6) Bd6 19.Bf4 Qxd3 20.Nxd3 Bxf4 21.Nxf4 Rxf4 leaves Black up two pawns. White should probably play 17.Ne2, but Black has won a good pawn, although Black's queenside weaknesses give White some compensation.

17.Ne2

This rules out ...Bxh3, at least for now.

17...Bd6 18.Qd2 c5 19.Ng3?!

The engines reckon White should gain kingside space with 19.f4 or 19.g4.

How should Black proceed?

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19...Bh7?

This turns a large Black advantage into a large White one. Both 19...c4 and 19...Rb5!? give equal chances, according to the engines, but again it was good to capture on h3. After 19...Bxh3! 20.gxh3?! Qxh3 Black has a huge threat in 21...Nf5. White's best, according to the engines, is 21.Rfe1, but Black can still play 21...Nf5, meeting 22.Nxf5 with 22...Qxf5!? (22...Rxf5 is also good), eg 23.Qd3 Qh5 24.Qd1!? Qh3 25.Qg4 Qxg4+ 26.Nxg4 Rg6 27.f3 cxd4! 28.Bxd4 h5. Once again it is better for White not to accept the sacrifice at h3, but then Black is clearly better.

What should White play?

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20.Nh5?

After 20.Ng4 White is winning a pawn, eg 21...Re6 (this is better than 21...Rf8, according to the engines) 22.dxc5 Bxg3 23.fxg3.

20...Rf5 21.g4?

The sacrificial combination 21.Nxg7!? Kxg7 22.Bxh6+ gains two pawns and an attack, for a bishop, with equal chances, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish17.1 reckons 22...Kh8 gives Black an edge.

21...Rxh5!

Instead it is Black who successfully sacrifices.

22.gxh5 Qxh3

How would you assess this imbalanced middlegame?

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Black has a pawn and the bishop-pair for the exchange. Materially, that is about equal, but Black also has an attack, and much the safer king, and so is the equivalent of more than a minor piece ahead, according to the engines.

23.Bf4!?

The engines agree this is the best defence.

23...cxd4 24.Qxd4

Perhaps 24.f3 is a little better, but Black can build up with 24...Rf8, or snaffle another pawn with 24...Qxh5.

24...c5

Even stronger is getting the black rook more into play, with either 24...Rb4 or 24...Rf8.

25.Rxc5?!

Offering back the exchange, but the queen should probably just retreat.

25...Be4 26.f3 Rxb2!?

Spectacular, but unnecessary. The engines prefer 26...Nf5, and 26...Bxc5 27.Qxc5 Rxb2.

27.Qxb2 Bxc5+ 28.Rf2 Bxf3 29.Nxf3 Qxf3 30.Kf1 Qxf2+ 31.Qxf2 Bxf2 32.Kxf2

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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Black's two-pawn advantage is the equivalent of being up more than a rook, according to the engines.

32...Kf7 33.Ke3 Nc6 34.a3 Kf6 35.Kd3 Kf5 36.Bd6 g6!? 37.hxg6 Kxg6 38.Ke3 Kf5 39.Bf8 h5 40.Bh6 Kg4 41.Kf2 h4 42.Bf8 Ne5 43.Bd6 Nc4 44.Be7 d4 45.a4 d3 46.Bb4 h3 47.a5 d2 0-1

Defeat ended an 11-game unbeaten streak in which I scored +5=6-0, performing about 150 elo above my average rating in those games of 1919.

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of eight) for Battersea 2 against Charlton in London League Division Three last night.

Julian Morrison (2046) - Spanton (1904)

Scotch

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6!?

The usual moves are 4...Nf6 and especially 4...Bc5, but the text often transposes to lines involving the latter continuation.

5.Be3

Magnus Carlsen has played the text and the independent 5.Nf3!?

5...Bc5 6.c3 Nge7 7.Nf5!?

A rare try. The Main moves are 7.Be2, 7.g3 and especially 7.Bc4.

How should Black respond?

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7...Bxe3

This is the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 like 7...d6!?, when they reckon 8.Bxc5 Bxf5 9.exf5 dxc5 gives Black the upper hand.

8.Nxe3 0-0 9.Bc4 b6 10.Nd2 Ne5 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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White has more space in the centre, but Black has a lead in development. The engines reckon the position is equal.

12...d5?!

This apparent-novelty lets White activate his kingside pawn-majority, whereas 12...N5g6 prevents this, or at least greatly slows it down, as 13.f4? can be met by 13...Nxf4!, when the pin on the knight is not dangerous as White is obliged to spend a tempo moving his light-square bishop.

13.f4 N5g6

The engines prefer 13...d7 or 13...Qh6!?

14.e5 Qc6 15.Nb3 Rad8

Possibly better is 15...Qd7, and if 16.Nd4 then 16...c5 as 17.Nb5 can be met by 17...f6!?, although the engines reckon 18.Nd6 is enough for at least a slight edge.

16.Nd4 Qe8!?

Perhaps 16...Qd7 is better, even though it allows 17.Bg4 with tempo (it is not clear the bishop is best-placed on g4).

17.Bd3 Nc6?

The engines reckon 17...c5 or 17...Bc8 is required.

18.Qh5!?

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice; Dragon1 prefers 18.Ng4 or 18.Qe1.

18...Nxd4 19.cxd4 f6?!

The engines suggest 19...Qa4!?, but agree White is winning after, for example, 20.Nf5.

20.Nf5 Bc8 21.Nh4 f5!?

This loss-of-a-pawn is more-or-less forced.

22.Nxf5 Bxf5 23.Bxf5

Black is 'only' a pawn down for the time-being, but White's attack continues

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23...Qf7 24.Bd3 Rfe8 25.Rac1 Rc8!? 26.Rc6 Nf8 27.Qxf7+ Kxf7 28.Ba6 Rcd8 29.Rxc7+ Re7 30.Rxe7+ Kxe7 31.f5 Nd7 32.Rc1 Nb8 33.Rc7+ Rd7 34.Rxd7+ Kxd7

Or 34...Nxd7 35.Bb7.

35.Bb7 1-0

This defeat ended a 12-game over-the-board unbeaten streak (+6=6-0) in which I performed 99 elo above my average rating for those games of 1895.

Battersea 2 won the match 4.5-3.5.

My Battersea Season 2025-6

Date       Event  Colour  Rating  Opp's Rating  Score  Season's Perf

16/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1952             0           1552

18/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1797             =           1675

16/10/25 CLL       W       1889         2047             0           1665

23/10/25 CLL       B        1889         1823             1           1805

18/11/25  LL         W       1891         1980             =           1840

20/11/25  CLL      W       1891         1866             1            1911

25/11/25  BCC     B        1891         1817             1            1955

9/12/25    LL         W       1904         1982             1            2008

16/12/25  LL         B        1904         2046             0            1968

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League

Championship Chess

Played in the Battersea club championship last night.

Alan Palmer (1817) - Spanton (1891)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Qa4 d6 7.Bd3

The main line in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database runs 7.e5!? dxe5 8.Nxe5 Bd7 9.Nxd7 Qxd7 10.Be3, when White has the bishop-pair and, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, a slight edge.

How should Black meet 7.Bd3, which occurs three times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database?

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7...Bg7

Although the position has only been reached three times in Mega26, three moves have been played: the text, 7...Nd7!? and 7...Bd7.

8.Nd5!?

A delayed e5 has been played, but the engines like the reply 8...Nd7!?

8...0-0

Again the engines like 8...Nd7!?

9.Nxf6 Bxf6 10.c3 d5

The engines suggest 10...Bg4, one point being 11.Nd4?! runs into 11...Nxd4 12.cxd4 Bd7!, eg 13.Qb4 a5!? 14.Qxb7 Bxd4, when Black has a positionally won game, according to the engines.

11.0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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The main difference between the two sides may be that Black has an extra pawn on the two centre files, which could be why the engines for quite some time give Black the better part of equality. However, while Dragon1 sticks to this, Stockfish17.1 gradually comes to give Black a slight edge, but then flips to almost dead-eye equality.

11...e5?!

However the engines agree this is wrong, preferring 11...d4!? After 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.cxd4 Qxd4 14.Qxd4 Bxd4, Black's central majority has gone, but Black has a little pressure against the white queenside.

12.Bh6 Re8 13.h3

13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Be4 gives White an initiative.

13...d4 14.cxd4 exd4 15.Rfe1 Bd7 16.a3!? Qb6 17.b4!? Ne5 18.Qd1 Nxd3 19.Qxd3

How would you assess this middlegame?

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Black has the bishop-pair and an isolated, but passed, centre pawn. White has a kingside pawn-majority that could give middlegame attacking chances against Black's king. The engines agree the position offers equal chances.

19...Bb5 20.Qd2 d3

The engines suggest 20...Bc6, pressurising the e pawn, or 20...Bh8!?, making sure e5 does not come with tempo.

21.Be3

21.e5 gives White a slight edge, according to the engines.

21...Qa6!?

Not just overprotecting d3, but putting pressure on a3.

22.Bd4 Bxd4 23.Nxd4 Rac8

White to play and lose

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24.f3??

'Consolidation', but it sets up a fatal pin. The engines give 24.Nxb5 or 24.a4!?, in each case claiming equality.

24...Qb6 25.Qf2 Ba4!?

From a4 the bishop eyes the passed pawn's queening square, prevents the retreat Nb3 and, also importantly, as will be seen later, protects e8.

26.Rac1 Rcd8?!

Black is still winning after this, but much better is 26...Red8.

27.Rc5

Possibly better is 27.Rc4, although Dragon1 is a lot less sure about this than Stcokfsih17.1. A sample continuation: 27...Rd7 28.e5!? Rd5!? 29.Re4 Rdxe5, after which White has saved the knight but not, according to the engines, the game.

27...Qf6?

Much stronger is 27...Rxd4! 28.Qxd4 Rd8 etc, or 27...Rd7 with ...Red8 to come.

28.e5 Qe7

How should White proceed?

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29.e6?

Best is 29.Re4, eg 29...f5 30.exf6 Qxf6 31.Rxe8+ Rxe8 32.f4, after which the knight has a retreat square, and Black only retains a slight edge, according to the engines.

29...fxe6 30.Rf1?!

This passivity does not help, but either recapture on e6 can be met by ...d2.

30...b6 31.Re5 Qd6 32.Re4 e5 33.Qa2+ Kg7 34.Rfe1

Or 34.Nb3 Qd5 35.Rb1 Bxb3, with pushing the d pawn to come.

34...exd4 35.Rxe8 Rxe8 0-1

My Battersea Season 2025-6

Date       Event  Colour  Rating  Opp's Rating  Score  Season's Perf

16/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1952             0           1552

18/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1797             =           1675

16/10/25 CLL       W       1889         2047             0           1665

23/10/25 CLL       B        1889         1823             1           1805

18/11/25  LL         W       1891         1980             =           1840

20/11/25  CLL      W       1891         1866             1            1911

25/11/25  BCC     B        1891         1817             1            1955           

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC - Battersea club championship

Fareham Round Six

THIS game sees me playing the same opponent as in round five, but with colours reversed - not so surprising in a six-round swiss with only five entries.

Spanton (1984) - Daniel Sullivan (2051)

Caro-Kann Tartakower

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6!?

Very much the fashion - Black gets easy development and a kingside pawn-majority, at the expense of conceding White a queenside pawn-majority and central space

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White's majority is an endgame asset - a sort of mirror image of the structure that arises in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish.

Black's majority, as I understand it, has two points. The first is that, in the event of opposite-side castling (Black on the kingside, White on the queenside), Black's wall of pawns on the kingside will give the black king good protection.

The second point is that if White castles kingside, Black can advance the kingside pawns in relative safety, creating attacking chances backed by Black's easy development.

For what it is worth, Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon White is slightly better.

6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Ne2

More popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database is 8.Qc2 and then 9.Ne2.

8...Nd7

The main line in Mega25 runs 8...Re8 9.0-0 Nd7, reaching the same position as in the game via a minor transposition.

9.0-0 Re8 10.Ng3
Here, marginally more popular is 10.Bf4 Nf8 11.Bxd6 Qxd6, and now 12.Ng3.

10...g6 11.Re1 f5!?

This may be a novelty. The engines are happy with it, and with the known 11...Rxe1+

12.Bd2 Nf8 13.Rxe8 Qxe8 14.Qf3 Be6 15.Re1 Qd8 16.a3

Playable is the desirable 16.c4, as 16...Bxg3?! 17.Qxg3 Qxd4 18.Bc3 gives White excellent compensation for a pawn.

16...Bd5 17.Qe2 b5!?

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18.c4?!

It seems manoeuvring with 18.Nf1!? or 18.Qd1!? is better.
18...bxc4 19.Bxc4 Bxg3?!

Black is at least slightly better after 19...Bc7!? or 19...Ne6, according to the engines.

20.hxg3 Ne6 21.Bc3 h5!? 22.Bxd5 Qxd5

The engines prefer 22.cxd5!?

23.Qe5 Qxe5

As DS pointed out in the postmortem, Black is in trouble after 23...Rd8? 24.Qf6.

24.Rxe5 Rd8 25.Ra5 Rd7

Perhaps 25...Nxd4 is marginally better.

26.Ra6 Rc7?!

Passive rook play in endings is nearly always a mistake, when there is an active alternative, which here means 26...Nxd4.

27.Ba5 Rb7

This is much better than continuing passivity with 27...Rc8?, when 28.Rxa7 Nxd4 29.a4 is very dangerous for Black.

28.Rxc6 Nxd4!

The best move in a tricky position.

29.Rc8+ Kh7 30.Rd8?

Throwing away White's advantage. After 30.Rc7 Rxb2 (probably not 30...Rxc7?! 31.Bxc7) 31.Rxf7+ Kg8 32.Rxa7 White is no more than slightly better, according to the engines, but has the only winning chances. Note that 30.Bc3? is easily countered by 30...Ne2+ etc.

30...Nc6 31.Rd5 Nxa5

DS offered a draw.

32.Rxa5 Rxb2 33.Rxa7 Rb1+ 34.Kh2 Kg7 35.a4 Rb2 36.f3 Rb1 37.a5 Ra1 38.Ra8 g5 39.a6 g4 40.fxg4 hxg4 41.Ra7 ½–½