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Pogonina vs Chess.com Move 25.

BalticKnight
| 5

http://www.chess.com/votechess/game.html?id=14051

The first diagram and the text is mainly old stuff from the commentary to move 23. The second part is all new.

1.

24.Bxg5 Bxg5 We have opposite coloured bishops but it is not really important since all the heavy pieces are left. If on the other hand one side gets initiative the difference in colour controll could be interesting.

25.Ra4 Going for b6/b7. 25. ... g6 Giving the king some air and placing pawns on the colour that obstructs White's bishop and does the opposite for Bg5. 26.Rb4 If the rook gets to b6 it also adds pressure on d6. Maybe b5 is necessary here? Let's try passive first.

a) 26. ... Qc5  27.Qa4 Rd8 28.Rb6 Re7 29. Rd5 Qc7 30.Qb4 + All white heavy pieces are bearing down on d6. So let's look at an aggressive approach.

b) 26. ... b5 27.axb6 Rb7 28.Be2 Rxb6 29.Rxb6 Qxb6 30.Bc4 a5 31.g3 +  Well all those lines look nice for White.

 
 
 
2.
 
White can bring all four pieces to attack b7. Let's look at that.
 
25.Ra4 (The rook can go b4-b6 but at its present spot or b4 it also defends e4 and "x-rays" all the way to h4.) 25. ... Rd8 (To stop 26. Be2.) 26.Rd5 (So White blocks d6-d5 to free the bishop.) 26. ... Rb8  27.Rb4 Qd7 (I assume Black chose a passive stance here, otherwise 27. ... b5 would be an opportunity. On the whole the vc community have been unwilling to get the normal Sicilian counter play (b5), starting with the move Rac8.)  28.Be2 (Threat: Bxa6) Rc6  29.Qa4 (Threat: Bxa6) Qc7 30.Bc4 Rc8  31.Ba2 Rd8  32.Rd1 Rc5 (Threat: Rxa5)  33.Ra1 (Threat: Rxa5 Bxf7+, discovered check) g6 (Kf8)  34.Bd5 Rb8   35.g3 (Qb3 doesn't work on account of Rxa5.) Bd8  36.Qb3 (The king has got some air now.) Qd7 (36. ... Rxa5  37.Rxa5 Qxa5  38.Rxb7 Rxb7 39.Qxb7 Qc7 (xf7) 40.Qxa6 and I would not like to be Black.)  37.Rxb7 Rxb7  38.Qxb7 Qxb7  39.Bxb7 Rxa5  40.Rxa5 Bxa5  41.Bxa6 and an interesting endgame has arisen.
 
A pawn is a pawn but both Black and White will have to calculate right and long and also read up on this kind of endgame. I think I could win this as White, but it is just a guess.  So it is hard to get all four white pieces to focus on one point, b7, but that very action seem to lead to beneficial trade offs.
 
There are of course other possibilities and plans but to bring all four white pieces to one focal point is an easy to understand plan. It is also time saving when at the board to have a clear cut plan. I have not assumed the best play for Black here, just followed the general tendency of passivity. Then there is always the unexpected move.