So what would have been the correct plan for black there?
An interesting position

So what would have been the correct plan for black there?
Umm... reading my previous posts, probably?
So what would have been the correct plan for black there?
Umm... reading my previous posts, probably?
Thank you IM Pfren. I find your analysis very instructive. However, when I put the position into my computer (Houdini Pro running on Core i5 processor), after 30 minutes it gave Rfe8 over Nc5. I'd be curious about how the game would play out then. Of course, black is passive, but will end up with a solid defensible position. So can white eventually break through?
30 minutes is not enough for an engine to conclude. Anyway...
After 18...Rfe8 19.h4! the engines suggest countering with 19...h5, which initially is evaluated as almost equal. However, the truth is that after 20.c3! (the d3 bishop is valuable, once Black has volutarily weakened the g6 square) Black is at a loss. My Houdini after ten minutes says +0.70, which is less than fair: Black is definitely in deep trouble. If Black does not play 19...h5, then white does play h4-h5 himself, with a multitude of dangerous threats.