Lets play a game of Chess

[Rolf Uhlhorn]

After 28. Nxe4 - Bxe4, we win the Rook, or white will be checkmate: 30. Rxh5 - f2++

28. Ne4 is attacking the Knight at d2, the Rook at c5 and threatens g3+, winning the Queen.

[XMRpromotions]

if:

27. Re5 - gxf3 28. Rxc5 - Ne4! and look what happens ...

There are several options, but White threatens to become active, I think we must act.

Not sure why 28 Ne4 is a good move? White will be up a Rook for a pawn and cancels any threat with 29. Nxe4

I'm sorry g4 is game over in 2-3 moves.

@XMRPromotions, no move yet, still thinking how white will attack at the moment.

2 votes g4 (Rolf Uhlhorn, funnyman21)
2 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur)

won't he push g4 and fork us?

Agreed. I think we are better off retracting the queen or Bf as our next move while defending Bxf7+ possibility

I hope he plays 27.g4:

26...Rd8
27.g4 Bxg4
28.hxg4 Nxg4
29.Qg2 Nf2+
30.Kg1 Ng4+
31.Kh1 Nf2+ leading to a draw by perpetual

If white tries to escape with Kf1 then we will win with Nxh2+

[galdur]

Yeah, he may take the draw after 26..Rd8 27.g4

[XMRpromotions]

Yeah, he may take the draw after 26..Rd8 27.g4

Yes. If we are not okay with a draw then do not chose my move (Rd8) because if white plays 27.g4 he can force a draw. White also has other options for move 27 just like we have other options on move 26.

[languagehasmeaning]

Rfe8: 3 votes (XMRpromotions, galdur, Morecoin Freeman)

That Rook would be my play too.

Rfe8: 4 votes (XMRpromotions, galdur, Morecoin Freeman, LucyLovesCrypto)

Rfe8: 4 votes (XMRpromotions, galdur, Morecoin Freeman, LucyLovesCrypto)
Rae8 1 vote (languagehasmeaning)

As others have pointed out it may not matter which rook we move. My intuition tells me the game will be decided in the center or kingside and white will not have time to play Qxa6 in the foreseeable future.

Rfe8: 5 votes (XMRpromotions, galdur, Morecoin Freeman, LucyLovesCrypto, newb4now)
Rae8 1 vote (languagehasmeaning)

I did not see all this at the time but if we had played Rae8 like I suggested instead of Rfe8 then g4 would be very strong for us here (because Rxf7 would be possible for us on move 28 below). White may have played differently if we had, so no regrets.

For anyone that does not want to allow the forced perpetual check line below I recommend voting for Bg6 instead. g4 fails in the current position to 27.Re5 Bd4 28.Bxf7+ Kxf7 29.fxg4 Qxg4 30.Rxf5

I hope he plays 27.g4:

26...Rd8
27.g4 Bxg4
28.hxg4 Nxg4
29.Qg2 Nf2+
30.Kg1 Ng4+
31.Kh1 Nf2+ leading to a draw by perpetual

If white tries to escape with Kf1 then we will win with Nxh2+

2 votes g4 (Rolf Uhlhorn, funnyman21)
2 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur)

2 votes g4 (Rolf Uhlhorn, funnyman21)
3 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur, languagehasmeaning)

[mammut]

just that we dont have to play Bd4

3 votes g4 (Rolf Uhlhorn, funnyman21, mammut)
3 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur, languagehasmeaning)

[languagehasmeaning]

just that we dont have to play Bd4

What other move would you make after g4 27.Re5?

[LucyLovesCrypto]

just that we dont have to play Bd4

3 votes g4 (Rolf Uhlhorn, funnyman21, mammut)
3 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur, languagehasmeaning)

If you recommend Bg6 to avoid a forced draw why did you still vote Rd8 instead of Bg6? Was it because you think white will accept a draw and you don't want that or because you are trying to beat g4 in the voting?

For anyone that does not want to allow the forced perpetual check line below I recommend voting for Bg6 instead.

3 votes g4 (Rolf Uhlhorn, funnyman21, mammut)
3 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur, languagehasmeaning)
1 vote Bg6 (LucyLovesCrypto)

[galdur]

just that we dont have to play Bd4

What other move would you make after g4 27.Re5?

Bd4 seems to lose the slowest but black has no good continuation after 26..g4 27.Re5 anyway. It´s tantamount to resignation.

[Rolf Uhlhorn]

I apologise; 30. ...- f2 does not checkmate because white does Qg2, which i didn't see. Sorry, can't blame me for attacking f3 and e4 .... I didn't play for 25 years and I am not used looking at a screen; I am having trouble calculating the moves, sorry.

Still 26. .. - g4 gives the best options; 27. Re5 - gxf3 28. Rxc5 - Ng4 (or Re8! threatening Re2) 29. Qg1 - Re8. I think something is there for us with g4. To be honest, Rd8 is to passive, our pawn will not go to d1, our Rook must have an attacking role.

[languagehasmeaning]

If you recommend Bg6 to avoid a forced draw why did you still vote Rd8 instead of Bg6? Was it because you think white will accept a draw and you don't want that or because you are trying to beat g4 in the voting?

I would be very surprised if white forced the draw this early. Your second guess is correct. I voted for Rd8 as the most popular alternative to g4 because I think g4 is a very bad move for the tactical reasons I explained.  

I really wished I had seen all these variations a few moves ago so I could have presented concrete reasons to vote for Rae8 instead of Rfe8 other than my "intuition" about which rook we should move.

[galdur]

I apologise; 30. ...- f2 does not checkmate because white does Qg2, which i didn't see. Sorry, can't blame me for attacking f3 and e4 .... I didn't play for 25 years and I am not used looking at a screen; I am having trouble calculating the moves, sorry.

Still 26. .. - g4 gives the best options; 27. Re5 - gxf3 28. Rxc5 - Ng4 (or Re8! threatening Re2) 29. Qg1 - Re8. I think something is there for us with g4. To be honest, Rd8 is to passive, our pawn will not go to d1, our Rook must have an attacking role.

26.. g4 27. Re5 gxf3 28. Rxc5 Ng4 29. Nxf3 Nxh2 30. Bxf7+ and black can resign

26.. g4 27. Re5 gxf3 28. Rxc5 Re8 29. Qxf3 Be4 30. Qxe4 Qxc5 31. Qxd3 hopeless as well

[languagehasmeaning]

I apologise; 30. ...- f2 does not checkmate because white does Qg2, which i didn't see. Sorry, can't blame me for attacking f3 and e4 .... I didn't play for 25 years and I am not used looking at a screen; I am having trouble calculating the moves, sorry.

Still 26. .. - g4 gives the best options; 27. Re5 - gxf3 28. Rxc5 - Ng4 (or Re8! threatening Re2) 29. Qg1 - Re8. I think something is there for us with g4. To be honest, Rd8 is to passive, our pawn will not go to d1, our Rook must have an attacking role.

26.. g4 27. Re5 gxf3 28. Rxc5 Ng4 29. Nxf3 Nxh2 30. Bxf7+ and black can resign

26.. g4 27. Re5 gxf3 28. Rxc5 Re8 29. Qxf3 Be4 30. Qxe4 Qxc5 31. Qxd3 hopeless as well

You posted before I could. I stand by my original comment. g4 is a great idea but does not work in the current position.

[languagehasmeaning]

I apologise; 30. ...- f2 does not checkmate because white does Qg2, which i didn't see. Sorry, can't blame me for attacking f3 and e4 .... I didn't play for 25 years and I am not used looking at a screen; I am having trouble calculating the moves, sorry.

You are doing just fine. It is a complicated position. Our opponent seemingly is making things more complicated on purpose for example choosing (for example) 18.a4 instead of 18.Re1 and 22.Nd2 instead of 22.d5.

[tifozi]

Rd8 or Bg6 both seem "safe", but my vote is for Bd6 as a variation.

1 vote Bd6 (tifozi)

I hope folks who voted g4 redo their votes since g4 is just not an option.

[funnyman21]

Rd8 or Bg6 both seem "safe", but my vote is for Bd6 as a variation.

1 vote Bd6 (tifozi)

I hope folks who voted g4 redo their votes since g4 is just not an option.

Changing my vote now....

2 votes g4 (Rolf Uhlhorn, mammut)
3 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur, languagehasmeaning)
1 vote Bg6 (LucyLovesCrypto)
2 votes Bd6 (tifozi, funnyman21)

[Rolf Uhlhorn]

If g4 doesn't work, like most of you are saying, then I would opt for Bd4, going for attack at b2 (Bc3 is optional, also Rc2 in a few moves), not defending f7 and with Qh3 go for exchange of the Queens, and activation of the Rook.

[boolberry]

If g4 doesn't work, like most of you are saying, then I would opt for Bd4, going for attack at b2 (Bc3 is optional, also Rc2 in a few moves), not defending f7 and with Qh3 go for exchange of the Queens, and activation of the Rook.

I updated your vote below and added mine. Most of us try to keep the current vote totals updated to save time for letsplayagame when he returns to move.

1 votes g4 (mammut)
3 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur, languagehasmeaning)
2 vote Bg6 (LucyLovesCrypto, boolberry)
2 votes Bd6 (tifozi, funnyman21)
1 vote Bd4 (Rolf Uhlhorn)

[boolberry]

I took the liberty of postings graphics for some of the longer lines of analysis posted for this move so far. I did make one edit to XMRpromotions line as clearly 28.hxg4 is a typo (28.fxg4)


position after 28.Bxf7+

g4 fails in the current position to 27.Re5 Bd4 28.Bxf7+ Kxf7 29.fxg4 Qxg4 30.Rxf5

position after 28.Bxf7+

I did not see all this at the time but if we had played Rae8 like I suggested instead of Rfe8 then g4 would be very strong for us here (because Rxf7 would be possible for us on move 28 below). White may have played differently if we had, so no regrets.

position after Nf2+

I hope he plays 27.g4:
26...Rd8
27.g4 Bxg4
28.fxg4 Nxg4
29.Qg2 Nf2+
30.Kg1 Ng4+
31.Kh1 Nf2+ leading to a draw by perpetual
If white tries to escape with Kf1 then we will win with Nxh2+

position after 28.Rxc5

26.. g4 27. Re5 gxf3 28. Rxc5 Ng4 29. Nxf3 Nxh2 30. Bxf7+ and black can resign
26.. g4 27. Re5 gxf3 28. Rxc5 Re8 29. Qxf3 Be4 30. Qxe4 Qxc5 31. Qxd3 hopeless as well

[8XMR]

1 votes g4 (mammut)
4 votes Rd8 (XMRpromotions, galdur, languagehasmeaning, 8xmr)
2 vote Bg6 (LucyLovesCrypto, boolberry)
2 votes Bd6 (tifozi, funnyman21)
1 vote Bd4 (Rolf Uhlhorn)