The eye is drawn to the a1-h8 diagonal, especially if White can get in Rg7+. So 44.Qxe7+, hoping to draw the knight away from g6? No, 44...Qxe7 is fine for Black, since 45.Bxf5 goes nowhere.

So let's reverse the moves: 44.Bxf5 Qxf5 45.Qxe7+ Nxe7 46.Rg7+ Kh8. Now White can win the queen back, but she's protected and Black winds up a piece ahead.

Can White take the knight first? No, Black's king goes to g8 and escapes the windmill.

So the rook can do no more than discover check along the g-file, Black not having any useful interpositions. Looks like a draw.

After looking this over for a while, I really want to investigate...

I was gonna say 44 Rxg6, but I can see that's no good. In the process of disproving that move, I think I see the actual continuation:

44 Bxf5

On the queen, so it's forcing in that respect. But even more important, we want to decoy the black queen away from protecting the rook.

44...Qxf5 45 Qxe7+ Nxe7

Other moves for black lead to a quick checkmate.

46 Rg7+ Kh8

So, is white playing for a win or a draw here? I think a draw (after all, he started two pawns down).

47 Rg1+

Note that both knights are on dark squares and have no ability to block the white bishop. And interposition by the black queen is needless suicide.

47...Kh7 48 Rg7+

I think this ended in a draw here.

Time to check.

=====

44. Bxf5 Qxf5. I think thats effectively forced eg. 44... Qe3 45 Qxe3 Rxe3 46 Bd2 Re4 47 Bb1. However, after ... Qxf5 B is threatening something nasty on h3 so W needs a really cool move.

45. Qxe7+ Nxe7. Clearly forced

46. Rxg7+ Kh8

In my ideal world the WR would attack an unprotected BQ with dis+ and get a won ending, but the Ne7 defends her and 47 Rxe7+ would allow the BK to escape. So move the WR back on the g-file repeat +s on h7 and h8.

click for larger view

Now, it's black who's in trouble and who has to play 45...Qxf5 to salvage a draw.

2) Black has the unstoppable threat of winning the exchange. If 44 Rd2 or 44 Rg3, Black has 44...Nxd3 45 Rxd3 Qe2+ winning the rook

3) Both kings are exposed but Black has more defensive pieces around his king while White has more offensive pieces ( two bishops and well placed queen) aiming at his opponent's king

Candidate: 44 Bxf5

a) 44...Qxf5 45 Qxe7+ Nxe7 46 Rg7+ Kh8 47 Rg4+ Kh7 48 Rg7+ - White bails out with a pepetual check

b) 44...Qf7 45 Qd6! (threatening 46 Qxf4 or Rxg6!) Qxf5 tranposed to a)

1) The black pieces are defending each other, but one or two may be overloaded;

and

2) There could be a mate on h8 if White succeeds in pinning or deflecting the Ng6 while getting his queen to d4.

It was this second point that took up so much of my time.

<44.xf5>

To a beginner, this looks like an oversight. The e7 rook is protected by the queen and the g6 knight. The queen might be displaced, but the knight remains there.

<44...xf5 45.xe7+ xe7>

"Ha-ha. Exactly what I said. So, now, what?"

<46.g7+>

As <jimfromprovidence> pointed out 44...Qf7 doesn't help due to 45.Qd6 and if here 45...Nxg2 then 46.Bxg6+ Qxg6 47.Qxe7+ Kg8 48.Qd8+ Kf7 49.Qxd5+ and white picks up the knight:

click for larger view

Haven't much time today. I see a drawing line 44. Bxf5 Qxf5 45. Qxe7+ Nxe7 46. Rg7+ Kh8 47. Rg5+ etc. Unfortunately white can't capture the black queen because it is protected by the e7 knight.

If black refuses the bishop with, say, 44...Qf7, then 45. Bxg6+ Nxg6 46. Qd6 maybe, then 46...Ra7 perhaps, well, white's doing better than the initial position that's for sure.

Two lines with the idea of pulling Black Q away from the R.

1. 44. Rxg6 Nxg6; did not go anywhere as Black can recapture with this other N and continue to keep his Q in touch with his R. A wasted sac, so abandoned.

2. 44. Bxf5 Qxf5 (promising) 45. Qxe7+ Nxe7 46. Rg7+ Kh8 (wow pay dirt! Discovered check available. Wait, if I go for the jugular the Q, my R perishes, my picture becomes bleak)

It is clear now I get nothing more than a draw. That is cold.