Given the position, exchanging on h2 just simplifies the position in White's favor and his king will be able to escape check. g2 is similarly well covered. White's queen is the lynch pin of this position for White i.e. it is covering e3, f1, g2 and h2. His knights also cover f1, f3 and g2.

With that in mind, despite the tough defense, the only forcing move is Rxg1+!. Time to analyze.

30. ... Rxg1+! 31. Kxg1 Rg6+ 32. Kh1 Bxh2 32. Qxh2 (32. Ra2 Bg1+ 33. Qh2 Bxf2 34. Rxh2 (declining the piece is losing as well) Qf1++) Qf1+ 33. Qg1 Rh6++. Nice.

But 31. .. Rg6+ can also be met with 32. Ng4 Rxg4+! 33. fxg4 Be3+ 34. Qxe3 Qxe3+ and Black mops up from there.

30... Rxg1+ 31 Kxg1, Bxh2+! ( now Qxh2 is not possible because

if 32 Qxh2 Rg6+ ( 33 Kh1 Qf1+ 34 Qg1 Qxg1+#))

(32 Kh1 Bf4+ 33 Kg1 Rg6+ (34 Kf1 Qh1+ 35 Kf2 Qg1+#) 34 Kf2 Qg3+ 35 Qf1 Qg1+#)

so safest line for white is ...

32 Kf2 Qg3+ 33 Ke3 Qg1+34 Kd2 Qd4+ and white looses rook

Over the course of the first 15 moves, White makes 8 pawn moves (4 in the first 7 moves!), and he moves one bishop twice (exchanging it away).

Meaning, after castling he makes exactly four developing moves, of which only one places a piece beyond the second rank (2. Nf3, 8. Bb2, 10. Nbd2 and 12. Qc2). Although this type of maneuvering is not atypical of Closed Sicilian games, this is a bit extreme.

Usually after 4. Bxc6, White plays 0-0, c3 then d4 (the point of the Rossolimo). The d3, b3, Bb2 sequence is slow. Moreover, unless White is willing to play f4 (via Ne1 which incidentally also protects the d3 square), or an earlier d4, it usually doesn't prevent Black from closing the center. It's virtue is that it places White's pawns on light squares, compensating for the loss of his bishop.

3. ... e6 is a less often played response to the Rossolimo. g6 is the main line. After White plays 5. d3, Black recognizes that he may have an opportunity to obtain equality in the center with Ng6, Qc7, d6 and e5. This in turn often facilitates Nf4 which is then followed by a king side attack, as in this game.

7. h3? is a terrible move. It's a waiting move played when White shouldn't be waiting. I can't even figure out what he is waiting for! Given that Bb2 is obviously better, and that h3 just wastes time, it really deserves the question mark. In fact, given Black's 15th move, it could even be called a blunder, though technically it is not.

By the time White finally plays 11. c3, Black is able to attack the d3 pawn with Ba6 and Nf4 (an attack made possible due to White's inattentive 10. Nbd2, which he played instead of Nc3 because he wanted to play c3!). Consequently, White is forced to play 13. c4.

Once the center is closed, Black switches gears with 14. Bc8 and then wastes no time launching into a king side assault. Well played throughout by Black.

But the editor has agreed that I can put some of my old articles on this site, as long as I don't do any of the unpublished ones. I'll post some on my forum in a few days, when I've converted the Word docs into FEN.

R Biolek vs Oral, 1997 (30…?)

Black to play and win.

Material: R+P for 2N. The White Kh1 is stalemated. Black has an overwhelming local superiority around the White K-position, with Bf4 and Qh3 attacking and pinning Nh2 to Kh1. The hapless Nh2 is protected by Qe2, Bg1, and Kh1. The Black Rg6 attacks and can remove the defender Bg1. The Black Rf6 is ready to reload Rg3 if necessary. The Black Kg8 is open on the back rank and a2-g8 diagonal, but is secure from immediate checks.

Candidates (30…): Qxh2+, Rxg1+, Bxh2

30…Rxg1+ 31.Kxg1 Rg6+ 32.Ng4

[32.Kf2 Qxh7 and mate soon]

[32.Kh1 Bxh7 33.Qxh7 Qf1+ 34.Qg1 Qxg1#]

32…h5 wins the pinned Ng4

At the end, White is at least a P up.

Black to play (30...?) "Medium" (2.5 stars)

White's king is weakened by lack of pawn shelter; only protected by pieces, it's time to get rid of some of them!

7. h3 is a good example of ill-conceived play. 7. Bb2 would have hindered Black's development as well as his ability to play 0-0. Moreover, after b3, Bb2 is a logical enough progression by itself. Instead, he plays h3, which has the effect of making it impossible for him to challenge Nf4. All this with Black's knight sitting on g6!

Even if White decides to forsake Bxg7 (and there are risks associated with a half open g-file bearing down on your castled king), he could still have played e5 which would also hinder Black's development, while helping his position.

Then there is the whole Nbd2, c3 muddle. White starts off focused on controlling the light squares spending several moves to accomplish this goal, and then promptly changes his strategy. Instead of playing 12. Re1 Nf4 (Bxd3? 13. c4! =) 13. Nc4! d5 14. exd5 cxd5 15. Ncxe5 f6 16. Ng4 ∞, he develops his queen to protect the d3 pawn. Then, he plays 14. c4 which all but ends his counterplay.

Since even this last-ditch attempt to scratch for a draw collapses in two moves, I have to conclude that you and <macphearsome> are right that white was already lost quite early in the game. (Of course I've agreed all along with you that white's play was strange and that it left black with all the threats.)