Move 27 discussion: Everyone vs stockfish

[WMHalsdorf]

Originally Posted by Brian-E

27.Nd6 looks weaker to me. The knight is well placed on f5, restricting the black king and forcing Black to keep its back rank protected. But after 27.Nd6 Rxc2 28.Nxb7 and would be doing little and would itself be vulnerable to attack. Our Rd8+ which you mention following this would merely exchange the more active or our rooks for the more passive black one.

Our rook is much better at picking off pawns than our knight because after taking one its ready to take the next one too.

27.Nd6 Rxc2 28.Nxb7 Nc4 29.a4 Ne5 and Black now has too many ways to gain a winning advantage beyond the pawn.