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26... Qb4 27. exf7+
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This pawn is like a rock (if Black is not able to catch the bishop with the knight or wants to give away material) and will prove to be VERY useful in the rest of the game. |
 
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27... Kh8 28. Nb2
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The knight needs to get back into the game. |
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28... Qc3 29. Nd3 Rad8 30. h3
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Not sure if this was really necessary already (I was worrying the queen check on a1), either Qxa7 or the fork threatening Ne5 would have been stronger probably. |
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30... Rd6 31. Ne5
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This should have happened one move earlier! |
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31... b6
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Black is worried about losing pawns... |
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32. Ne2
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Getting the other knight into the action as well. |
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32... Qa1+ 33. Kh2 g6
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I was truly shocked and paralysed by this move -- another one which I have completely overlooked! It looks as like White is losing a piece by force now: The rook is obviously attacked by the pawn and has to move along the f-file, but then this leaves the knight on e5 undefended and the queen can happily eat it. Already thinking about to resign, I luckily found the saving move. |
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34. Qg3
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That's funny: Black can't open the g-file now as this would immediately result in a mate in two, through a quick queen-sacrifice-and-rebirth (Qg8+ Rxg8 fxg8=D#). The bishop is proving to be extremely effective for White, Black would have better exchanged it! |
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34... Kh7
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Protects the pawn on g6 which is attacked twice by White now. |
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35. Nf4
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Thrice! Notice that eating the rook is still not possible for Black. |
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35... g5
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Trying to keep the files closed. At this point of the game we both had only a few minutes left (before the 40 moves boundary) and had to move rather quickly. |
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36. Nh5
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The safe way to play it -- the rook sacrifice Rxg5! had clearly to be considered, as it looks like after ...hxg5, Qxg5 there is no way to avoid mate anymore for Black, but being in time pressure I wasn't 100% sure if it really works out, so I decided to move the knight. |
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36... Rd1
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Black gets up hist last resources and threatens mate. |
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37. Nf6+
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Just trying to get quickly closer to the 40 moves boundary with a forcing move... |
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37... Kh8 38. Qf2
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The good-looking fork Ng6+ would indeed lose a piece: ...Kg7 and after White notices that the mating thread is still present and opens up space for the king, Black eats the knight ...Kxg6 |
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38... Rh1+ 39. Kg3
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Phew, only one move left and the time pressure is over, finally. |
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39... Qc3+ 40. Nd3 Rd1
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Setting up a small trap. |
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41. Ne4
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if Nd7, then ...Rxd3+ cxd3, Qxd3+ following Qxd7 gets two pieces and a pawn for a rook (though still not bad for White I guess, positionally speaking) |
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41... Qg7
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I wasn't sure how to continue now to convert this obviously promising position into a quick win. Attacking the rook and repositioning the queen for a possible Qg4/Qh5 couldn't hurt. |
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42. Qf3 Rh1 43. Rf6
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With the idea of following with Qh5 and hitting on h6. Another plan that came to my mind was getting the rook on e8 with Re5, however this can be easily prevented by Black with Nc7. |
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