Annotated chess game

Nxd4 again. If he recaptures its a mate with Bb6+.

Move order is always worth tinkering with. Black has obviously seen the idea - in its broad outlines at least (combining ...Bb6 with ...Nxd4) - but didn't look for ways to refine it. Reversing the move order gave White the opportunity to walk into a quick mate, else allowed Black to walk off with a pawn whilst smashing through the centre. So 22...Nxd4 23.Qd1 Bb6 transposes (more or less) into one of my earlier comments, when Black would have had a winning game.

Lots of possibilities for Black, here. It must have been hellish having to choose   The move played is fine, and rather more subtle than exchanging at once on d4. To do so was OK, though: 23...Nxd4 24.Rxd4 Bxd4+ 25.Kxd4 Qc6! 26.Qb5! Qf6+! 27.Ke3 d4+ 28.Kxe5 dxc3 29.bxc3 Qxc3, and the game crystallises out to a clear exchange ahead for Black.

There's not a whole lot else White can do.

White could have tried deflecting the Black Queen - 26.Ng4 Qf5 27.Ne5, but it does no good: 27...Nxe5 28.fxe5 axb5 -/+. But maybe White had some such idea in mind when he played 25.Nb5. Had he tried the deflection plan at move 22, White would have been axed by 22.Ng4 Bxd4+ 23.Kd2 Bxc3+ etc, pretty much as in the game (except that Black chose the N capture, for some reason).

Qa2 would lose material to Nxc2++, giving Black a win, but it would take a bit longer than after the game continuation!

Yes. I think 26...Bxd4 was the better capture (than 26...Nxd4). But since both led to winning games for Black, the value of 'better' becomes very nebulous.

A fine exploitation of some very opaque play by White. Yes, Black missed some chances, but the 'second-best' moves were still good moves - good enough at any rate to keep up the pressure, maintain a decent edge and to exploit White's mistakes. Can't ask for better than that!

Not the best game I ever played . Still the return match Rabbit boy !