Move 35 discussion: Everyone vs stockfish

[MooMoo2]

The poll for move 34 just closed, and the most popular move was Rf1. Stockfish responded with 34...h5, and the FEN is:
r6k/1R6/1p3p2/4nN1p/8/6P1/P1r4P/5RK1 w - h6 0 35

Game so far: 1.e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8. O-O Be7 9. dxc5 Nxc5 10. Nb3 Nce4 11. Nfd4 O-O 12. Nf5 Re8 13. Nxe7+ Rxe7 14. f3 Nd6 15. Bg5 Nc4 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Qd4 Qb6 18. Qxb6 axb6 19. Rfd1 Re5 20. f4 Re2 21. Nd4 Re4 22. Nf5 Nxb2 23. Rxd5 Rxf4 24. g3 Rc4 25. Nh6+ Kg7 26. Nf5+ Kf8 27. Rd7 Rxc2 28. Nh6 Kg7 29. Nf5+ Kg6 30. Nh4+ Kg7 31. Nf5+ Kh8 32. Rxf7 Nd3 33. Rxb7 Ne5 34. Rf1 h5

[WMHalsdorf]

Anyone find something better than 35.Rxb6 Raxa2 36.Nh4 Rxh2 37.Rbxf6.

[gd_barnes]

Originally Posted by WMHalsdorf

Anyone find something better than 35.Rxb6 Raxa2 36.Nh4 Rxh2 37.Rbxf6.

Just the in-between checks that put our rook in better in better position on the 7th vs. 6th rank that was mentioned last move, i.e.:
35.Rxb6 Raxa2 36. Rb8+ Kh7 37. Rb7+ Kh8 (or Kg8) 38. Nh4 Rxh2 39. Rxf6

Here is a thought that I think that we should consider at this point: Let's play the move that we believe will force a draw the most quickly so that we can get on to the more interesting variation of this game. With that in mind and after more analysis, I'd like to propose a move that will likely allow us to force a draw more quickly:

35. Ne3

Now:
35...Re2* (I think this is probably the best move but black has two other normal looking moves that I look at below.)
36. Nd5 Raxa2 (Also possible is 36...Ng4 but I think the pawn capture is better.)
37. Rb8+ Kg7
38. Rb7+

Here, black can choose 38...Kh6, Kf8, Kh8 or Ne7, although Kh6 is a little suspect. (Kg8 leads to mate after 39. Nxf6.) Analysis:
38...Kh6 (This seems the least likely as we can possibly win material but can only quickly force a draw as both sides eventually threaten mate.)
39. Rxf6+ Ng6 (forced)
40. Rbxb6 Rg2+
41. Kf1 Rxh2
42. Rxg6+ Kh7
43. Rh6+ Kg7
No use to go further. Both sides can force perpetual check here.

38...Kf8
39. Rxf6+ Kg8 (forced)
40. Rb8+ Kg7
41. Rb7+
Etc. We can force perpetual check.

38...Kh8
39. Rb8+ Kh7
40. Rb7+
Here, 40...Kh8 leads to repetition and 40...Kh6 leads to the 38...Kh6 line shown above.

38...Nf7
39. Rxf6 Ra1+ (Either Ra1+ or Re1+ followed by swapping rooks are forced here as we threaten black's knight and a possible mating attack.)
40. Rf1 Rxf1+
41. Kxf1 Rxh2
42. Rxb6
A nice easy draw with each side having a rook, knight, and pawn and the pawns are opposing one another.

*Also possible is:
35...Rc3
36. Nd5 Nf3+ (forced)
37. Kg2 Rxa2+ (forced)
38. Rf2 Ne1+ (forced)
39. Kf1 Rf3**
40. Rxf3 Nxf3 (forced)
41. Nxf6 Nxh2+ (forced) [we could also play 41. Rxb6 but Nxf6 seems a bit better since we are threatening mate]
42. Ke1 Nf3+ (forced)
43. Kd1 Ng5 (forced as black must prevent 44. Rh7 mate; he can also do some meaningless checks)
44. Nxh5
I think that SF should accept a draw offer at this point if not before. Note how forced this line is, which is what made it fairly easy to analyze quite deeply.

*Also possible but I think we have a decent positional advantage after:
35...Rcxa2
36. Rxf6 Re2
37. Nf1
There's not much that black can do and white is in a strong attacking position so I do not believe that SF will choose this line.

**Another try for black here:
39...Rxf2+ (Note that the above and this one are the only two move 39's that black has to avoid loss of material.)
40. Kxf2 Nd3+ (mostly forced)
41. Ke2 Nc1+ (forced; we are threatening Nxf6 followed by Rh7 mate)
42. Kd1 Rd3+
43. Kxc1 Rxd5
44. Rxb6 Kg7
A book draw with both sides having a rook and two opposing pawns. I looked closely at black's moves here but not so much our moves because the book draw became obvious. We may have some better king moves here that actually give us a modest positional advantage but nothing that will win.

Bottom line: 35. Rxb6 is a good move and is the most normal looking one but I think that 35. Ne3 gets us to the promised land more quickly.

[Brian-E]

Just a practical note: in my opinion we should be going for the most certain draw, not the quickest one. We don't get extra credit for finishing the game sooner or more elegantly, and we should not take any risks to do so. I think the main strategic feature of the position is that is that Black cannot win any likely endgame if it loses its b pawn. The scenario we must avoid is that Black finds an unforseen method of keeping that pawn. Therefore I prefer 35.Rxb6.

35.Rxb6

More pieces off the board increases the probability of a draw. I don't see any imminent danger after the interchange.

[gd_barnes]

I'm OK with Rxb6. I think that Ne3 is likely only a little bit quicker to the draw but may require a bit more exact play in some variations. With Rxb6 we are likely stuck with both sides having both rooks for awhile but likely down to one or two opposing pawns each, which all but assures the draw even if it takes a little longer to force it.