Move 19
 

Our two obvious moves, I suppose, are 19...Nb5 and 19...Na6. The first one aims to plant the knight on d4, the second is heading for b4. I like the first one, 19...Nb5, at the moment.

I also had a brief look at the exchange sacrifice 19...Rxa5 which recovers the b6 pawn at once and hopes to capitalize on the pressure on the b file and against b2. If 20.bxc7? Rxa1 21.cxb8=Q Rxf1+ 22.Kxf1 Qxb8 we have a slight advantage, though probably drawn due to opposite bishops. But simply taking the exchange with 20.Nxa5 Rxb6 21.Nc4 (solidly defending b2, though 21.Nc6 threatening Nxe7+ is probably also good) Rb4 22.f4 prevents ...Ne5 and should prepare to consolidate and win with the material advantage. No good as far as I can see, unless either of you can see an improvement for us?

Any other possibilities? Which of our possibilities do you both prefer?

I prefer 19... Nb5 over 19... Na6 since the knight on d4 is far more disruptive to whites position and we maintain pressure on both a and b columns.

[QUOTE=WMHalsdorf;403705]I prefer 19... Nb5 over 19... Na6 since the knight on d4 is far more disruptive to whites position and we maintain pressure on both a and b columns.[/QUOTE]
I agree with you.

I was going to say what can we do beside Nb5.

So I agree too. Go ahead.

If their next is 20. Rfb1, and we Nd4, and they retreat Qd1, do we NxB or what?

[QUOTE=davar55;404010]If their next is 20. Rfb1, and we Nd4, and they retreat Qd1, do we NxB or what?[/QUOTE]
After 20.Rfb1 Nd4 21.Qd1 we could indeed play 21...Nxe2+ because after 22.Qxe2 Qa6 we are inflicting some awkward pins. (If they move their bishop we take two rooks for the queen, and both the knight and the b2 pawn are also pinned. A concrete threat is then ...Ne5.

But perhaps 21...Ne5 is better. In general our knight on d4 looks stronger than their e2 bishop, and we probably don't want to make that exchange unless it leads to a [U]very[/U] concrete recompense.

Off topic: I've just noticed that the "Peanut gallery" for the spectators has disappeared. Or at least I don't see it anymore. Does anyone know what happened? Did the spectators get bored?:smile:

(I'm scared to ask in the public thread in case I get my head bitten off.:smile:)

[QUOTE=Brian-E;404019]Off topic: I've just noticed that the "Peanut gallery" for the spectators has disappeared. Or at least I don't see it anymore. Does anyone know what happened? Did the spectators get bored?:smile:

(I'm scared to ask in the public thread in case I get my head bitten off.:smile:)[/QUOTE]

Since we were locked out it would be kind of hard to know one way or another.

Too much drama, threats of violence, etc.

:sad:

[QUOTE=Xyzzy;404057]Too much drama, threats of violence, etc.

:sad:[/QUOTE]
Oof. Glad I was out of that, then. Thanks for the info, Mike.:smile:

[QUOTE=Xyzzy;404057]Too much drama, threats of violence, etc.

:sad:[/QUOTE]

We were not aware. At whom or whatm directed?