Your Questions Answered By Andrew Martin

International Master Andrew Martin from England presents a regular series of articles to answer any questions that Chess.com readers have about the game of chess.

If you want to ask Andrew a question, then send an email to askandrew@chess.com and next time your question could be featured!  Please include your real name and your chess.com member name, but you can ask to remain anonymous if you wish!

Now it's over to Andrew for this week's questions and answers...

Mike Bligh.  Thank you for your wonderful contribution to the chess community. My question is about a game I played a few years back against the GNUchess engine on a Macintosh G3. I played the following game at the computers full strength and I feel as though it is one of my finest chess achievements. Is this a quality game or am I just crazy?

OK. here we go!

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.d3!? Slow,but perfectly playable. GM John Emms advocates this way of playing,which avoids a lot of heavy theory. White's plan is the usual Lopez attacking scheme on the KIngside,commencing with Nbd2-f1–g3.

9...Bg4 10.Be3 [10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Na5 12.Bc2 c5 13.g3 Ne8 14.h4 g6 15.Bh6 Ng7 16.Nd2 Rc8 17.Nf1 f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Ne3 Qd7 20.a4 b4 21.Qd5+ Kh8 22.d4 cxd4 23.cxd4 Nc6 24.dxe5 Nxe5 Kharlov,A (2555)-Kohler,A (2330)/Leeuwarden 1995; 10.Bg5 Qd7 11.Nbd2 Nh5 12.Be3 Nf6 13.Qc1 Bh5 14.Bc2 b4 15.d4 bxc3 16.bxc3 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.cxd4 Rfe8 19.Bd3 Bg6 20.h3 d5 21.Qc2 dxe4 22.Bc4 Bd6 23.Bb3 Rec8 24.Nc4 Nd5 Sharkov,B-Iliev,I/Ablanica 2008] 10...Na5 11.Bc2 h6N Nothing wrong yet, although h7-h6 is usually followed by ..Re8 and ...Bf8,reinforcing h6. [11...d5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nbd2 Nxe3 14.Rxe3 f6 15.Qe1 Bc5 16.Re2 Bb6 17.Rd1 c5 18.b4 Nc6 19.a3 a5 20.h3 Bh5 21.g4 Bg6 22.Nh4 Bxd3 23.Bxd3 Qxd3 24.Re3 Qc2 25.Ne4 cxb4 26.Re2 Petiteau,E (1740)-Lagarde,M (1620)/Gorges 2007/; 11...c5 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.Qb1 (13.Nf1 Re8 14.Ng3 Bf8 15.h3 Bc8 16.Nh2 h6 17.f4 d5 18.Qf3 d4 19.Bc1 Bd6 20.f5 Bb7 21.Ng4 Be7 22.Nxf6+ Bxf6 23.Nh5 c4 24.Qg4 Kh7 ½–½ Tweedie,C-Galbraith,J/Edinburgh 2002/EXT 2004) 13...Qd7 14.d4 cxd4 15.cxd4 Rac8 16.d5 Nb4 17.Rc1 Nxc2 18.Rxc2 Bh5 19.Ne1 Qb7 20.f3 Bg6 21.Rxc8 Qxc8 22.Qd3 Nh5 23.Nb3 Qd7 24.Na5 f5 25.Nc6 fxe4 26.Nxe7+ Junker,S (1674)-Kirschbaum,A (1425)/Solingen 2005]

12.Nbd2 c5 13.h3 Bh5 14.Rc1?! [14.Nf1! intending...Ng3 was better] 14...Nc6 15.Nf1 Bg6 [15...d5! 16.Ng3 Bg6 17.Nh4 d4! seems right to me,after which Black has counterplay.]

16.Qd2 Qa5 17.Bb3 c4 [17...Rfd8 looks better, covering h6 quickly with ...Bf8] 18.dxc4 Bxe4 19.Bxh6  Bang!  The psychological effect of such a move can be considerable. Is it sound though? 19...Bxf3 20.gxf3 [20.cxb5!? Qxb5 21.gxf3 gxh6 22.Qxh6] 20...gxh6 21.Qxh6 bxc4 Black totally loses his sense of danger. [21...Nh7! was a much better defence now,monitoring the Kingside. There is no mate: 22.Ne3 (22.f4 exf4 23.Bc2 f5) 22...Bg5 23.Qxd6 (23.Qh5 Ne7) 23...Rac8 24.cxb5 Qxb5 25.Qg6+ Kh8 26.Qh5 Bxe3 27.fxe3 e4 28.Qxb5 axb5 29.fxe4 Ne5 30.Rf1 Rg8+ 31.Kh2 Ng5] 22.Ne3! cxb3 23.Nf5 Nh5 24.Kh2 Qd8 25.Rg1+ Bg5 26.Rxg5+ Qxg5 27.Qxg5+ Kh7 28.Qxh5+ 1-0 A very nice finish which proves yet again how much easier it is to attack than to defend. Congratulations!

Chess.com member: Karricus Hi Andrew.  I'm having trouble finding a repertoire for white that suits my style. As black I play the Benoni and the Accelerated Dragon with success, but my results with white are not as good. Is it a viable option to 'waste' a move with white by playing 1.g3 or 1.d3 just to try play your black repertoire with an extra tempo?

Chess.com member n213978745 May I ask you about your opinion in the Bird's opening?

I'm going to take these questions together because I'm going to use Bird's Opening to show just how difficult it is to play reversed openings. The problem is that as Black, you are always reacting to what White has played, on infromation received. As White, if you try the same formations, you have to make the running and Black can adapt to what you are doing.  Bird's Opening is a case in point. We see here a game where White treats the position like a reversed Leningrad Dutch and gets nothing at all. Then comes an actual Leningrad Dutch, which might look similar, but which in fact is completely different.  About the only move I know which enables White to play successful reversed openings is 1 a3; not everyone's cup of tea!

Many club players like to take shortcuts in the opening by studying something unusual or idiosyncratic, hoping that they know the opening better than the opponent, which in most cases, they do.  Bird's Opening, 1.f4, falls into the category of 'unusual' , but my view is that it is not easy to play. White has loosened the kingside! But having experimented with 1.f4 extensively, admittedly only in blitz, I can say that most players seem to have little or no experience with the move. The weak players collapse in the unusual positions that arise and the strong players keep it as solid and as tight as they can.  We come now to one such game, at a higher level and at a slower time limit.

1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 c5 Although a tempo down on a Dutch, this is absolutely one of Black's best responses.  Black can equalize quite comfortably as long as he is modest. It is only when Black starts getting ambitious that he can get into serious trouble.Let us see how Grandmaster Leitao deals with the problem.

7.c3 Recommended by Danish Grandmaster Daniesen who specializes in 1.f4 and does very well. I presume 7.c3 keeps as many options open for White as can be; at least it looks that way.

7...Nc6 8.Na3 b6! 9.Qe1 [A different interpretation of White's position was seen in this recent game from England. Observe how White gets the upper hand : 9.Nc2 Bb7 10.Qe1 e6 11.h3!? Qc7 12.g4 Rad8 13.Qh4 with psychological impact. Black may believe he is in danger in this position and panic. 13...Ne7 14.Bd2 b5 So far,so good.14...b5 would be a typical way for Black to gain counterplay against White's set-up. 15.Rac1 Qb6 (15...a5 was more consistent in my view, with queenside counterplay.) 16.Be3! Qd6 17.b4± Suddenly White is quite a lot better. Rendle has been playing the Black side of a Leningrad Dutch for many years and knows the plans and positions off by heart. Such knowledge comes in very useful here. 17...Nd7 18.Ne5 (I quite like 18.bxc5 Nxc5 19.Nfd4 with f4-f5! to come.) 18...d4? (18...g5! is interesting eg 19.Qh5 cxb4! (19...gxf4 20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.Bxc5±) 20.cxb4 gxf4 21.Nxd7 Qxd7 22.Bxa7 d4) 19.bxc5 Qxc5 20.Bxd4 Bf6 21.Qxf6 Qxd4+ 22.Nxd4 Nxf6 23.Bxb7 1–0 Rendle,T-Nelson,O/Blackpool 2005Would White have won as quickly with a standard opening ? I doubt it ]

9...Ba6 10.Rb1 [10.h3 seems a luxury with the Black Queen still on d8: 10...Rc8 11.Rb1 d4 12.c4 Bb7 13.Nc2 Nd7 14.Qf2 Ba8 15.a3 e6 16.b4 Ne7 17.Bd2 Qc7 18.a4 e5 19.fxe5 Nxe5 20.Bf4 Nxf3+ 21.Bxf3 Qd7 22.Bxa8 Rxa8 Johannessen,S-Gausel,E/Gausdal 1988and with a4 and h3 under fire, Black is certainly not worse. Probably best now is  23.bxc5 bxc5 24.Rb5 with roughly equal chances in a complicated position.]

10...Rc8 11.b4 cxb4 12.cxb4 Bb7 This type of move indicates not exactly a lack of ambition, but a recognition that Black has no weaknesses and can keep a balence simply in this manner. It is up to White to make the running.This is a mature decision and very much a conclusion reached from experience. The best players don't try too hard, they know when to wait. 13.Bb2 Ng4 [13...e6 keeps a steady,equal game.]

14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.e4 [The computer is showing me 15.b5 Nb8 16.Qb4 with an edge to White. I guess I believe that with White's control of the central dark squares coupled with the option of Bh3.] 15...dxe4 16.dxe4 b5! Now all is back on track for Leitao.

17.Kh1 [17.Qc3+ e5! 18.Qb2 Qb6+ 19.Kh1 Ne3 is pretty uninspiring for White.] 17...Qb6 18.Rb3 Rfd8 I have to say I am starting to prefer Black whose King looks decidedly safer in the medium term and whose overall piece layout seems better coordinated.One can see why 1 f4 is not played too much at the highest level and especially when the opponent has time to prepare. it is just too easy to get an sensible position as Black.

19.Qe2 Nf6 20.Nc2 [20.e5 Nd5 21.e6 shows a bit more ambition. As the game goes it looks as though White is losing a bit of confidence.] 20...a5 21.f5?! A move with a desperate air about it. Sometimes in the middle of a game you just have to admit that you have nothing and take appropriate action. Along these lines I can recommend [21.a3 axb4 22.axb4 and White is steering a line close to equal.]

21...gxf5! Black wakes up. He realises that white's action is unlikely to be successful with his own King looking none too safe 22.Ne3 [Other variations do not look promising: 22.exf5 axb4 23.Nxb4 (23.Rfb1 Qc5! 24.Nxb4 Na5! 25.R3b2 Nc4) 23...Nd4! 24.Nxd4 Bxg2+ 25.Qxg2 Rxd4 26.a3 Qd6; 22.e5 Nd5 23.e6 Ndxb4 24.Nxb4 Nxb4 25.Nh4 Bxg2+ 26.Qxg2 Qxe6 27.Nxf5+ Kf8!] 22...fxe4 23.Nf5+ Kf8 24.Ng5 Rd5 [The cold-blooded 24...Nxb4 25.Qb2 Rc5 26.Nxh7+ Kg8 appears winning if I am to believe Fritz9. Why give White any chance?]

25.Nxh7+ But now matters flare up again. 25...Nxh7 26.Qh5 Rxf5! 27.Rxf5 [Or 27.Qxh7 Rxf1+ 28.Bxf1 Qd4!; 27.Qxf5 Nf6 28.bxa5 Qc7! 29.Qxb5 Nxa5 30.Rbb1 Qc5] 27...Nd8 28.Rb1 [28.Qxh7 leads to a rough ride for White, but may well be a way out of the labytrinth: 28...Rc1+ (28...Qd4? 29.Rb1 axb4 30.Rg5 e6 31.Qg8+ Ke7 32.Rxb5+-) 29.Rf1 Rxf1+ 30.Bxf1 Qf6! 31.Rb1 e3+ (31...axb4 32.Bg2 e3 33.Bxb7 Nxb7 34.Qe4) 32.Bg2 e2 33.Rg1 Bxg2+ 34.Kxg2 Ne6 35.bxa5 A merit of Bird's Opening, stressed forcefully by IM Tim Taylor in his recent excellent book on 1 f4, is that an unclear middle game will almost always occur. This is why fighters like Bent Larsen were willing to play the Bird frequently and acheived success.]

28...Kg7 29.Rbf1?! [It is hard to see why he rejected 29.Rxb5 other than a shortage of time. Best play then appears to go: 29...Qe3 30.Rd1 Rc1 31.Qg4+ Kh8 32.Qd7 Rxd1+ 33.Qxd1 Kg7! 34.Qg4+ Kh8 35.Qd1 burning out to what looks like a strange drawing mechanism.] 29...Qg6 30.Qh4 f6! Keeping out the potential attackers.

31.Rxb5 Ng5 32.Qg4 Ba6 [32...Rc2 33.Qd7 Ba6 was perhaps a better order of moves eg 34.Qxe7+ (34.a4 Ndf7 35.Rxg5 Qxg5 36.b5 Bc8 37.Qxe7 Bf5–+) 34...Ndf7 35.Rc5 Rxc5 36.Qxc5 Bxf1–+] 33.Rd1 Rc2 34.Rxg5 Qxg5 But Black is winning in any case.

35.Qxe4 Rc1 36.Qxe7+ Nf7 37.Qe1 Rxd1 38.Qxd1 axb4 39.Bd5 Ne5 40.Qc2 Qe3 41.Kg2 Qe1 42.Kh3 Qf1+ 43.Bg2 Qc4 0–1

My conclusion must be that 1 f4 can work for you at anything other than Grandmaster level. Games by the inventive Danish Grandmaster Danielsen show this without doubt. You can shape the game to more or less your own design, so the Bird perhaps falls into the same category as the Trompowsky, the Sokolsky and other idiosyncratic openings of this type. You go in with your eyes open and you know the pitfalls well in advance. Precise move-orders and theoretical excellence is hardly the point. You are ENJOYING chess. But when you open the kingside early on, watch out!

1.c4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 c6 6.Nf3 d6 7.0–0 0–0 8.d5  White feels compelled to do something; here is the difference. obviously he could play 8 b3, but Black is comfortable after 8...Qe8

8...e5! 9.dxe6 Bxe6 10.b3 [10.Bf4 Bxc4 11.Bxd6 Re8 12.Ne5 Be6 13.Ba3 Nbd7 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Qc2 Rad8 16.Rfd1 Qf7 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Rd1 Rxd1+ 19.Qxd1 Qd7 20.Qc2 Nd5 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.e4 fxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 b6 25.Qc4+ Kh8 26.b3 c5 27.Bc1 h5 28.Be3 Kh7 29.Kg2 Bd4 30.Bf4 Qc6+ 31.f3 Kg7 32.Qe2 Qd7 33.a4 Kf7 34.Qe4 Bf6 35.h4 Qe7 36.Qc4+ Kg7 37.Kf1 Qd7 38.Ke2 Qh3 39.Qe4 Qg2+ 40.Kd1 Qf1+ 41.Kc2 Qf2+ 42.Kd3 Qf1+ 43.Qe2 Qb1+ 44.Kc4 a6 45.Qd2 b5+ 46.axb5 axb5+ 47.Kxc5 Be7+ 48.Kc6 Qxb3 49.Be5+ Kf7 50.Qf4+ Ke6 51.Kb6 Qd5 52.Bb2 b4 53.Qe3+ Kf7 54.Qf4+ Ke8 55.Qe3 Kd7 56.Qf4 Bd8+ 57.Ka6 Qc6+ 58.Ka7 Bb6+ 59.Ka6 Bc7+ 60.Ka7 Bxf4 61.gxf4 Qa4+ 62.Kb6 Qc2 63.Be5 Ke8 0–1 Adianto,U (2554)-Reinderman,D (2543)/Beijing 2008/CBM 126 Extra; 10.Qd3 Nbd7 11.Ng5 Re8 12.Nxe6 Rxe6 13.e3 Ne5 14.Qe2 Qa5 15.Bd2 Qa6 16.b3 Nf7 17.Rac1 Ne4 18.Rfd1 Nxd2 19.Qxd2 Qa5 20.Ne2 Qxd2 21.Rxd2 a5 22.h4 Re7 23.a3 Be5 24.Bf3 Kg7 25.Kg2 Ra6 26.b4 axb4 27.axb4 Ra4 28.b5 cxb5 29.cxb5 Rb4 30.Rd5 Rb2 31.Rc8 Bf6 32.Kf1 Rb1+ 33.Rc1 Rb2 34.Nf4 Be5 ½–½ Citak,S (2328)-Gurevich,M (2631)/Istanbul 2008/CBM 125 Extra]

10...Na6 11.Bb2 Qe7 12.Rc1 Rad8 Black carefully covers his potential weakness on d6

13.Nd4 Bc8 14.a3 Ng4 15.Nf3 f4! This time Black gets his projected Kingside attack!

16.Rc2 Bf5 17.Rd2 fxg3 18.hxg3 Ne3!! A typical Leningrad shot.

19.fxe3 Bxc3 20.Bxc3 Qxe3+ 21.Kh2 Qxc3 22.Rxd6 Bc2! If it wasn't for this move, White might be able to escape.

23.Qd4 Qxd4 24.Rxd4 Bxb3 25.Re4 Rde8 Exchanging off the opponent's only active piece is a typical master strategem 26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Rb1 Nc5 28.Nd4 Re3 29.Nxb3 Rxb3 30.Rxb3 Nxb3 31.Be4 Kf7 32.Kg2 Kf6 This is child's play for a Grandmaster. Black just needs to create a passed pawn.

33.Bc2 Nd4 34.Bd1 Nf5 35.Kf3 Nd6 36.Bb3 Ke5 37.Kg4 Ne4 38.Bc2 h6 39.e3 Nf6+ 40.Kf3 g5 41.Bg6 a5 42.Bc2 Nd7 43.Bh7 Kd6 44.Bg8 Ke7 0–1 He's going to win the Bishop with...Nf6! 0–1

Cory Hutson I am looking for advice on how to play closed games, the kind that might arise from an opening like 1. d4 d5.  I understand the general strategy, like controlling the center, developing your minor pieces, and not leaving pieces hanging; I would like to know how to maneuver into a winning position from the middle game.

Mastery of the Closed Games is a great skill. One has to possess an acute awareness of how to create  weaknesses in the enemy camp and how to zero in on them. Patience and experience is required as well as a penchant for manouvering when there doesn't appear to be a great deal going on. Among recent World Champions, the names of Karpov and Kramnik stand out in this sphere of the game.

There now follows a typical Karpov win.  Nothing much seems to be going on and the opponent is lulled into a false sense of security. One small error and Karpov pounces!

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 [5.Nbd2 Bb4 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bg2 Be4 8.Qb3 Bxd2+ 9.Bxd2 0–0 10.0–0 d6 11.Rfd1 Nbd7 12.Rac1 h6 13.Bh3 Re8 14.Be3 a5 15.Nd2²  Nikolic,P-Adams,M/Wijk aan Zee NED 2000]

5...Bb7 6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 a5 8.0–0 0–0 9.Nc3 [9.Qc2 Be4 10.Qb2 c6 11.Bf4 Be7 12.Nc3 d5 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Ne5 Adianto,U-Barus,C/Vung Tau VIE 2000] 9...d6 [9...d5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.a3 Be7 12.Qc2 c5 13.Rfd1 Nbd7 14.Bf4 Rc8 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.Ne5²  Polovodin,I-Pavlov,A/St Petersburg RUS 2000]

10.Qc2 Nbd7 11.Rfd1 White's small edge is based on greater command of the centre and extra space. [11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 c6 14.Red1 b5 15.Be1 Qb8 16.Rac1 bxc4 17.Rxc4 Qb5 18.a4 Qh5 Stefansson,H-Handke,F/Reykjavik 2004]

11...Bxc3 [11...Re8 12.Nb5 Bxd2 13.Nxd2 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 e5 15.Nf1 Nf8 16.e4?! exd4 17.Rxd4 Ne6 Georgiev,K-Nisipeanu,L/New Delhi/Teheran 2000; 11...h6 12.d5 e5 13.Nh4 Nc5 14.a3 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 a4 16.b4 Nb3 17.Rab1 Bc8 18.c5!± Nyback,T-Sharavdorj,D/Mallorca 2004] 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qc1 Karpov is the first one to deviate from the previous game, which braught him a very impressive win. [13.Qb2 c6 (13...a4 14.Rac1 b5 15.Qd2 Qb8 16.Bb4 axb3 17.axb3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Ra4 Lukacs,P-Kristjansson,S/Budapest 2002/) 14.Bf1 b5 (14...Qe7 15.Nh4 d5 16.f3 Bg6 17.Rac1 Rfc8 18.Nxg6 hxg6 19.Bg2 Ne8 20.e4±  Barus,C-Abarca Aguirre,M/Moscow 1994) 15.Nh4 d5 16.f3 Bg6 17.Be1 Qb6 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Rac1 Rfc8 20.e3 Ne8 21.g4 Karpov,A-Istratescu,A/Bucharest 2005; 13.Qd2 a4 14.Ng5 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Qb8 16.f3 b5 17.e4 e5 18.d5 axb3 19.axb3 bxc4 20.bxc4 Qb3= Fortes Gil,J-Vera Pons,F/Castelldefels 2004]

13...a4 [13...h6 14.Bh3 c6 15.Nd2 Bh7 16.Bg2 d5 17.a4 Qe7 18.Qb2 c5 19.cxd5 exd5 20.Nf1 Damljanovic,B-Pikula,D/Sozina 2004]

14.Bh3 Karpov prepares a typical plan of pushing e2-e4.  [14.Bf1 axb3 15.axb3 Rxa1 16.Qxa1 Qe7 17.Nd2 Ra8 18.Qb2 Bb7 19.Qc2 e5 20.d5 b5 21.e4 bxc4 22.Nxc4 Nikolic,P-Kristjansson,S/Selfoss 2002]

14...Qe7 15.Nd2 Bb7 16.Qc2 axb3 17.axb3 c5 [17...e5 18.d5 c6 19.dxc6 (19.e4 b5!? 20.dxc6 Bxc6 21.f3) 19...Bxc6 20.e4 b5 21.f3! Rxa1 22.Bxa1 b4 (22...bxc4? 23.Nxc4 d5 24.Bxd7±) 23.Nf1 Nc5 24.Ne3]

18.Qb2 h6 19.b4 cxd4 20.Bxd4 Rfc8 21.Rxa8 Rxa8 22.Nf1 d5?! After this move black is doomed to passivity. [22...e5 23.Bc3 Ne4 24.Ne3 Ndf6 25.Be1 Ng5 26.Bf1 Qe6 27.h4 Ngh7„; 22...b5!? 23.cxb5 e5 24.Bc3 Nb6 25.Ne3 Ne4 26.Be1 d5]

23.cxd5 Bxd5 24.Ne3 Bb7 25.b5 Qa3? Blundering a pawn on b6. [After 25...Rc8!? covering c4, Black is well in the game: 26.f3 h5 (26...Nc5 27.Nc4 Nd5 28.e4 Na4 29.Qb3 Ndc3 30.Bxc3 Nxc3 31.Qxc3 Qc5+ 32.Qe3 Qxc4 33.Qxb6 Qe2 34.Rf1±) 27.Rd2 Ne8]

26.Qxa3 Rxa3 27.Bxf6! Nxf6 28.Rd6± Nd5?! [28...Ra1+ 29.Bf1 Ne4 30.Rxb6 Nc5 31.f3 Kf8 32.Kf2 Ke7 33.Nc4 Bd5 34.Ne5±] 29.Nxd5 Bxd5 30.Rxb6 Ra1+ 31.Bf1 Rb1 [31...g5] 32.Rb8+ Kh7 33.b6 g5 34.f3 f5 35.Kf2 Rb4 36.e4!+- Transposing into a different kind of an endgame! 36...fxe4 37.fxe4 Bxe4 [37...Rxe4 38.Bd3+-]

38.Ba6 Ra4 39.b7 Rxa6 40.Rh8+ Kxh8 41.b8Q+ Kh7 42.Qc7+ Kg6 43.Qc4! Bb7 44.Qb3 Be4 [44...Bc8 45.Qc2++-]

45.Ke3 Bf5 46.g4 Ra5 47.gxf5+ Rxf5 48.Qxe6+ Rf6 49.Qe8+ Kg7 50.h4 gxh4 51.Qe7+ Kg6 52.Ke4 h3 53.Qe8+ Kg7 54.Qd7+ Kh8 55.Qxh3 Rg6 56.Kf5 Kh7 57.Qd3 Rg5+ 58.Kf6+ Kh8 59.Qe4 Kg8 [59...Rg7] 60.Qe6+ Kh7 61.Kf7 Rg8 62.Qf5+ Kh8 63.Qe5+ Kh7 64.Qe6.[64.Qe6 Rg7+ 65.Kf8 Rg5 66.Qf6 Rg8+ 67.Kf7 Rg5]  1–0 The author is indebted to GM Finkel for his assistance with the annotations.