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Vadim Milov vs Inna Gaponenko
Windesheim Open (2003), Zwolle NED, rd 3
Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange. Positional Variation (D35)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-25-22  Brenin: 18 Bxg6, and if 18...hxg6 then 19 Nf4 forks trapping Black's Q with Ne6 and creating serious trouble for his K with Nxg6+. The game line 18 ... Bxg5 simply loses the exchange, without compensation.
Nov-25-22  Mayankk: I wanted to play 18 Nf4 which piles the pressure on g6 pawn and creates forking possibilities via 19 Bxg6 hxg6 20 Nxg6+ followed by Qh5+ etc. And it also threatens to entomb Black Queen at f8 by Ne6 which means Black needs to create an escape square immediately.

I didn't understand if there are any merits in 18 Bxg6 first versus 18 Nf4.

Nov-25-22  mel gibson: I was way off today -
I thought it was moving one of the Knights forward.

Stockfish 15 says:

18. Bxg6

(18. Bxg6 (♗d3xg6 ♗e7xg5 ♗g6xe8 ♗g5xh4 ♗e8xd7 ♕d8xd7 ♕f3-h5 ♗h4-f6 ♘e2-f4 ♕d7-e8 ♕h5xe8 ♖c8xe8 ♘g3-f5 c5xd4 e3xd4 ♖e8-d8 ♘f4-d3 ♗b7-c8 ♘d3-e5 ♗c8xf5 ♖f1xf5 ♔h8-g7 ♖c1-c6 b6-b5 ♖c6xa6 ♖d8-e8 g2-g4 ♖e8-e7 ♔g1-g2 b5-b4 ♔g2-f3 h7-h6 ♘e5-c6 ♖e7-d7 ♘c6xb4 ♗f6xd4 ♘b4xd5 ♗d4xb2 a2-a4 ♗b2-c3 ♘d5xc3 ♘g8-e7 ♖f5-c5 ♘e7-g6 ♔f3-e4) +7.58/40 360)

score for White +7.58 depth 40.

Nov-25-22  jrredfield: I saw 18 Bxg6 right away but the ensuing text moves varied from what I expected, and included a lot of exchanges, the type of tactical sequences that computers excel at. It was just too much for me to figure out. But it appears that any other move gains very little or nothing for White.
Nov-25-22  Brenin: <Mayankk>: I think 18 Nf4 is refuted by 18 ... Bxg5 19 hxg5 Qxg5, when White has nothing for the P he has lost.
Nov-25-22  jrredfield: <Mayankk: I didn't understand if there are any merits in 18 Bxg6 first versus 18 Nf4> 18 Nf4 only gives White an even score compared to SF showing a robust score for White with 18 Bxg6 (see <mel gibson> above).

18 Nf4 Bxg5 19 hxg5 Qxg5 20 Nge2 Qh6 21 Kf2 Qg7 22 Rh1 Nf8 and White is not gaining any ground.

Nov-25-22  Mississaugan: Smothered mate after 12 moves. They say that grandmasters can see up to 12 moves ahead.
Nov-25-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  Korora: It's also a "perfect" or "ideal" checkmate because every flight square is off limits for exactly one reason.
Nov-25-22  BxChess: If the bishop sacrifice is accepted 18...hxg6, then 19. Nf4 eyeing 20. Ne6 to trap the queen. Hence Black must play 19... Bxg5 to provide an escape for the queen. But then white has 20. Nxg6+ Kg7 21. Qf7+ Kh6 22. Nf5+ Kh5 23. Ne5#
Nov-25-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: Jar it head bun quick it was vue Bxg6 achtung might bluff z it ho acrid mid bag q bug Bxg6 clinch ;)
Nov-25-22  FM David H. Levin: After 18. Bxg6 (Intending 18...Rf8 19. Qh5, saving the piece.) 18...hxg6 19. Nf4, 19...Nf8 can be met by 20. Nxg6+, intending 20...Nxg6 21. Qh5+ Kg7 22. Nf5+ and 23. Nxe7+, with a quick end in sight.

<Mayankk: I didn't understand if there are any merits in 18 Bxg6 first versus 18 Nf4.>

I was drawn to the sequence 18. Bxg6 followed by 19. Nf4 because each of those moves severely constrains Black's plausible replies, making calculation less arduous.

Nov-25-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  dorsnikov: Nailed the first move. Then my dynamic vision totally failed me.
Nov-25-22  agb2002: Black threatens Bxg5.

The black queen lacks mobility and if the pawn on h7 disappeared then Nf4 would create a double threat. This suggests 18.Bxg6:

A) 18... hxg6 19.Nf4

A.1) 19... Nf8 20.Nxg6+ Nxg6 (else 21.Qf7#) 21.Qh5+ Kg7 22.Nf5+ Kf7(8) 23.Nxe7+ and mate soon.

A.2) 19... Rf8 20.Nxg6+

A.2.a) 20... Kg7 21.Nxf8 Qxf8 (21... Nxf8 22.Qf7+ Kh8 23.Qh5+ Nh7 [23... Kg7 23.Rf7#] 24.Rf7 Ngf6 25.Bxf6+ Bxf6 26.Qxh7#) 22.Nf5+ Kh7 (22... Kf7 23.Nxe7+ wins decisive material) 23.Qh5+ Nh6 24.Nxe7 is winning.

A.2.b) 20... Kh7 21.Qh5+ Kg7 22.Nxf8 wins (22... Nxf8 23.Rf7#; 22... Qxf8 23.Rxf8).

A.3) 19... Bxg5 20.Nxg6+ Kh7 (20... Kg7 21.Qf7#) 21.Rf7+ Kxg6 22.Qh5#.

B) 19... Rf8 20.Qh5 wins (20... Ndf6 21.Bxf6+ Nxf6 22.Rxf6 B(R)xf6 23.Qxh7#.

C) 19... Bxg5 20.Bxe8 (20.Qh5 Bh6) 20... Bxe3+ (20... Qxe8 21.hxg5) 21.Qxe3 Qxe8 22.Qxe8 wins an exchange.

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