Anyway, who said 13...Na5 is forced? I think the knight is better placed where it is for now and 13...b5 is better.

Regarding to the line analysed with <Swapmeet> 12...Qc7 13.h5 b5 14.Nxc6 Qxc6 15.Qd4 Ne5 16.Be2 0-0? 17.h6 I agree with his analysis, White has a strong attack there, but the simple 16...f6 stops all the fun for White:

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If you like 12...O-O more it's fine with me, but I find it really absurd if someone votes it because it's deemed safer! The only reason why 12...Qc7 may appear so risky is because White's possibilities have been much better analysed than ...O-O, I use to play the "devil's advocate" part when I support a move.

For the time being I think the best line that came out of 12...O-O is 13.f4 Nxd4 (<TheAlchemist>'s idea that I also find best) 14.Qxd4 b5:

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What if now 15.h5 and then 16.h6? That is very similar to the ...Qc7 variation that scared everybody with the difference that castling is not an option, is already on the board!

<12...Qc7>

13.h5 b5 14.Nxc6 Qxc6 15.Qd4 Ne5 (15...Rg8 16.a4; 15...e5) 16.Be2 f6 (16...O-O 17.h6; 17.f4 Nc4)

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13.h5 Na5 14.g6 hxg6 15.hxg6 Rxh1 16.gxf7+ Kxf7 17.Qf3+ Nf6 18.Qxh1 Nc4

Here, I have found two possible improvements, i.e. the simple 16...Kf8 (someone has to show me why it doesn't work) and alternatively 17...Bf6 18.Qxh1 Bxc3+ which also seems better.

<12...O-O>

13.f4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 b5

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13.h5 Bxg5

13.Rg1 Qc7 14.h5 b5 15.g6 hxg6 16.hxg6 Nde5 17.f4 Nxg6 18.Qh5 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 b4 20.Ne2 Bb7 21.Rh1 Bh4 22.Rxh4 Nxh4 23.Qxh4 Bxe4 (though this line likely contains many mistakes, plus it results in a dubious ending)

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13.Rg1 Qc7 14.h5 Nde5 15.f4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Nc6 17.g6 (17.Be3) Nxd4 18.gxh7+ Kxh7 19.Qxd4 Bf6

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13.Qd2 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 b5 15.O-O-O Bb7 16.Bg2 (16.f3) b4

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13.g6 hxg6 14.h5 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bf6

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<h5>
<Qh5>
<Bg2>
<Be2>
<g6>

I think <h5> most likely... but let's look at <Qh5>: I think this looks much scarier than it actually is. I doubt they will play it.

If <Qh5>, why not <Na5> in response, preventing their white square bishop from occupying the h1 diagonal, and also preparing <Ne5> and then <Nac4>?

<the simple 16...Kf8 (someone has to show me why it doesn't work)> 17.Nxe6+ wins the queen

<17...Bf6 18.Qxh1 Bxc3+> There is still a knight on d4 in this line.

Position after 12...Qc7 13.h5 Na5 14.g6 hxg6 15.hxg6 Rxh1 16.gxf7+ Kxf7 17.Qf3+ Nf6 18.Qxh1

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I agree with <Marco> that this may be alright, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

Very exciting... But one more...

I disagree with <Captain> on most likely continuation from o-o h5

I think this more likely:

o-o/h5 Bxg5/Nxc6 bxc6/Bxg5 Qxg5/h6 g6--

Where we are at least equal and maybe even better!

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I think it incredibly important that all of us play through ALL of the analysis we have posted and will post during the time out... VERY important to digest each other's opinions...

I have just posted two pieces of analysis, and will spend the rest of today's game study time playing through all of my teammate's analysis before posting any more of my own ideas...

Thanks! I guess I had some variations mixed up (I think I traded the Nc6 and the Nd4 somehow), so please discard that, I guess I set it up the wrong way. Damn.

<Jessica>

I didn't go further than Bxg5 in the summary because this line hadn't been mentioned before, that is, if I didn't miss anything like usual, so it was just a suggestion I made, I didn't analyze it properly.

I've got to catch up on my colleagues' analysis now...

Again, I urge all of us to go through everything we post so that we are analyzing "together" rather than "at each other."

<jessicafischerqueen> Yes 12...O-O 13.h5 is good for us, that's why they'll never play it!

I didn't believe 13.Qh5 could create trouble because it blocks the advance of the h-pawn and doesn't threat anything really, but I tried to answer it with 13...g6 and that's the chaos that I imagined: 14.Qd1 [14.Qh6?? Re8 and 15...Bf8] Nde5 15.f4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 Nc6 17.h5 e5 18.hxg6!

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and now:

a)18...exd4?? 19.Qh5 and mate;

b)18...fxg6 19.Bc4+ Kh8 20.Qd2! (with the idea 21.Rxh7+! Kxh7 22.Qh2+ Kg7 23.Qh6#) Bg4 21.Qh2 Bh5 22.Be3 is unclear to me;

c)18...hxg6 19.Bg1 exf4 20.Qd2 Ne5 21.O-O-O Bg4 22.Qh2 Bh5 and 23...Bxg5 might actually be in Black's favour.

Despite that, it is clear that this variation requires a lot of precision (and I doubt I could see everything!).

The other two positions that concern me a little after 12...O-O come after 13.f4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 b5 and 13.g6 hxg6 14.h5 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bf6 and I hope someone can work on it while I sleep!

We play <13...e5!>

After this move, <14.fxe5> is refuted by <14... dxf5>

<14.f5> cannot be played because of <14...exd4>...

White's best response to <13...e5> is probably

<14.Nf5>

And after <14.Nf5>, we could play something like <14...exf4 15.Bxf4 Nde5 16.Nxe7 Qxe7>, reaching this position:

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Now the f pawn is gone, and White has an isolani---

And from this position, if they play

<17.Be2> we can make a lovely pawn break <17...f5!> in which they cannot take our f pawn-- if they take it directly <18.exf5> then <18.Bxf5>, or if they take it enpassant <18.gxf5> we can play <18...Rxf6> and have a beautiful open file for the rook!

And if they try <17.Nd5>, we have <17.Qd8>

Any way you look at it, these responses all neutralize any danger from a potential <12...o-o 13.f4>... If they play <13.f4> after we castle kingside we come out at least equal and maybe a tad better, depending on how they respond... potential open diagonal for our light square bishop, or open file for our King rook..