

thanks for taking on my challenge and have fun analyzing&playing!
I decided to go with:
13. Qd2 *


I also rarely analyze a position for more than 40 seconds - this has costed me games, by e.g. missing refutations that I could have found by sitting in a position for 10 minutes, but where's the fun in that?! My hardware may be outdated (Q2800 - usually get crunched at playchess

In the meantime, I'll properly include it in the Nightmare Challenge list.
Previous Challenge
Previous Games
> Okay, thanks! It'll take me a while to make a move, as, by move 13 I usually have lots of analysis in the position gathered thorough the whole game, while here I have nothing
No worry, i think the first few moves are pretty straightforward, but after a few moves i think black has to make good decisions... most likely i have just overseen something and i take your choice thankfully into my analysis-db.



But yes, I feel ready, bring it on!
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6
> I also rarely analyze a position for more than 40 seconds
Interesting, this was also my approach the time i analyzed that position (60sec on a slower computer), and as i told you, it may be highly possible i have just overseen trivial things (due limits of memorisation) - in that case i have to pay with a loss for a good line for my analysis-db.

14. Ng5 *
Anyway, here's my move, I don't know if you were expecting 14...Nh5!?
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5
> My head would explode if I tried to memorize all these positions analyzed.
Well, actually that happenend in my game vs. Scott... after a pretty long analysis where i surely clicked through 200+ positions i got tired/unconcentrated, and while analyzing each possible sideline in the by that time chosen 13. Qg5, i missed to finally expand the main-line in it where i would have seen that it can't work, which then would have thrown me back to the more complex 13. Qd2 we are currently analyzing/playing where at least some questionsmarks remain...
> I don't know if you were expecting 14...Nh5!?
I think that indeed would have made white's plans a lot easier

15. f3 *

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4
> Well, let's see how this goes, I wonder at what point the position will explode in my face!
Well, ...Ndf6+e5 was not that bad.

I take your pawn on d4 with the queen, and in case you move your g-knight to e5 i will move f4 and in case you will then move it back to g4 i will castle long:
16. Qxd4 * (Ne5 17. f4 Ng4 18. O-O-O)
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6
> Well, this line is forced but I still wanted to analyze carefully the upcoming positions.
Then my next move is hardly a surprise (as it is most likely the only playable for white...


19. h5 *
But after this last session I think I have good drawing chances

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5
> But after this last session I think I have good drawing chances
Yes, seems so... problem is i couldn't play the original planed 15. h6 (also because of 15...Nxh5; i expected at the time of analysis 15...h6) because Caissa didn't let it go through, and it was difficult to construct plan B) with 15. f3 and castling long later... but while it is at least ok -as in nature of most transpositions- it gives you new "outs" i obviously didn't want you to have


20. f5 *

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7
> Ponder Hit!


As my primary interest here is also finding "the best line", what did you have for 15. dxe5? I think there is only one very very narrow hope for black to draw, and i'm curious whether you would have found it.

21. Nh3 *
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6
> I reached 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. f3 Rd8 17. Bd3 Nh6 18. h5 Nxh5 19. g4 Bxg4 20. fxg4 Nxg4 21. Rh4 Ngf6 22. Nf3, found it to be a critical position that would require too much time to analyze
Correct!, will give you a few lines tomorrow!

22. Nf2 *
> I reached 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. f3 Rd8 17. Bd3 Nh6 18. h5 Nxh5 19. g4 Bxg4 20. fxg4 Nxg4 21. Rh4 Ngf6 22. Nf3, found it to be a critical position that would require too much time to analyze
My first impression about 15. dxe5 and opening the d-line with my uncastled king was just: "This can't be good!"! In later analysis i also reached the position till move 22, found that black had no sufficent good answer after 22. Nf3 and therefore worked hard to improve the line for black when i - which was already the 7th move 21 i tried at, found this one which to me refutes the whole dxe5-line based on 25...Rxd3 - indeed confirming that opening the d-line isn't good

21...Qd7!! 22. O-O-O b4 23. Nb1 Nf4! 24. Nxh7 Qe7 25. Rxg4 Rxd3!! 26. cxd3 Qc5+ *

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2
> first I'd have wanted to understand, if it didn't work, why it didn't
Exactly also my approach... and believe me, analyzing 20...Qe7 and seeing that (what was most likely your expected?!) 21. Nxf7 doesn't work to 21...Rxf7! 22. Bxg4 Qg5+ 23. Kb1 Qxg4 24. Qxd6 (here 24. Qb6 is practically better) Bd7! was painful first


> It's clear you've been analyzing more positions than me, though
This is one of the most fascinating positions i ever played...

23. Qxf2 *
Of course, knowing it was playable, I had to take a swim in it, and, yeah, it's one of those positions where you know could be mainline but engines don't understand it. In this one engines understood Nxf7 was bad

Anyway, after this session White's variations are going downhill and they feel like nails I bump down with my hammer, I wonder if I'm missing something critical or if you'll have to try something crazy soon because you have nothing to lose since drawing is just like losing!
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8
> What? No, I never expected 21. Nxf7!?
Sure.

> Anyway, after this session White's variations are going downhill and they feel like nails I bump down with my hammer,
Believe me, that hurts!


> or if you'll have to try something crazy soon because you have nothing to lose since drawing is just like losing!
First of all, i have already won(!) because i found a highly motivated player(&chess-friend) in you willing to go down lines with me in this wonderful position which also helps me keeping movitation & focus, thank you for doing so. As i have already written above i'm primary interested IN THE BEST LINE (which i by the way thought or at least hoped to be won, but obviously in a no-time-limit corr-analysis&game this involves a lot(!) of work and one might oversee a lot - this already began with right transpostions, then Qe7 which i discoved pretty late -yet before you i guess- and so on), so don't expect here any kind of tricks which i have refutations myself - this makes only sense in quick or at least time-limited games... indeed that was the reason i already helped "us" out by avoiding 15. dxe5 (still i think you would have found the right moves yourself of course, yet the line you have given above lacked the right details). And to me there is also a big difference between losing a challenge or a (real-world) chess-position (indeed i see every of my white-games as a personal challenge which is enough for my motiviation, giving a challenge here to you is basically keeping you motivated as well




I attached my Ne8-line and reveal the password the time you play a move i haven't in it.
24. Kb1 *
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7
Anyway, I agree with you these games are about the journey and not the destination, like everything, so by just playing we're all winners

Your claim that beating you from the black side of this position is impossible just makes me want to try harder, wouldn't it be cool to win a Nightmare challenge from the other side?!

Of course I still have fear, a surefire way to lose this would be to examine the positions in a shallow manner and just send a bunch of conditionals, but I know I must be careful, though, it's not only looking for a draw what I've been doing in these positions

> Thanks for your patience, I know this move was forced and all, but, I just had this feeling that I was missing something, I didn't like my mainline, so I kept digging and digging, and finally found one that I like.
No worry, i think black is pretty fine here or at least has a very realistic chance to draw the game... but as you said yourself, i have nothing to lose, and i will fight! (and wouldn't that be the biggest nightmare of all? A position full of traps that finally seemed so calm, but is still lost?)

> Your claim that beating you from the black side of this position is impossible just makes me want to try harder, wouldn't it be cool to win a Nightmare challenge from the other side?!
Well, that was obviously just my try to talk my position stronger



As you have seen yourself Stockfish is initially happy about a lot of move-options here, but pretty all drop to zero soon (nails get hammered)... the only other interesting move i spent a lot of time with was 25. Bf3!?, but couldn't get it to take off.
25. Qe3 *
giving a little conditional line:
25...Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 *

Also, yeah, I've stopped using Stockfish for these positions since a few moves ago

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6
My turn again.
> Hehe, not gonna fall in the trap of just accepting your conditional and deciding for a move this soon, I'm gonna take it easy!
Well, i can't help myself but somehow 25. Qe3 is not the line you worked on the last days (you also worked a lot on 25. Bf3!?; in each case it would be really interesting what line you had in mind when you wrote first about "good drawing chances" - to sad there is no .7z for me







Anyway, just got a fail high, which means, I know you'd not let my mainline happen, so I have no mainline currently, but this is always good!
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 Rb8
> Hehe, yeah, you got me, I wasted most of my time in the Bf3 variations, and not only that, it was in the 25.Bf3 b4 26.Ne2 bxa3 27.Qe3 Rh8?! variations, where 27...g5, which is easy to find kills the var on the spot
Yes, and believe me, with my restrictive challenge-conditions (60sec-snapshot on my slow computer) it took me ages(!) to find it... yet it isn't even the only problem in the Bf3!?-variation as far as i could see. Ok, back to "our" mainline:
28. Qd4+ *
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 Rb8 28. Qd4+ Kh7
I wish that you would also return to discussions on "ordinary" topics. You've been away awhile, and I (and I'm sure others, too) miss you and your contributions...
I'm glad to see you're still around and have joined the moderator team


Can't actually believe for how many years it was all...


29. a4 *
By the way, are we still on the line of the z7?

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 Rb8 28. Qd4+ Kh7 29. a4 b4
> By the way, are we still on the line of the z7?
Yes, just found out about 28...Qe5 later.
30. Bc4 *
conditional: 30...Be6 31. Bxe6 Qxe6 32. Ne2 * (and no update-process needed

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 Rb8 28. Qd4+ Kh7 29. a4 b4 30. Bc4 Be6 31. Bxe6 Qxe6 32. Ne2 b3
> Oh well, haven't managed to find a new mainline, but we all know I have to play this anyway...
The difficult thing now is that this is no eval-game but one about won (or not so) endgames...
33. Qd3 *
If you already had what will be move 34 on the zip file I'll be really impressed!
(predicting Ponder Hit next)
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 Rb8 28. Qd4+ Kh7 29. a4 b4 30. Bc4 Be6 31. Bxe6 Qxe6 32. Ne2 b3 33. Qd3 Rb4

34. cxb3!



> If you already had what will be move 34 on the zip file I'll be really impressed!
Give me this absolutely impressing ponder-hitting move now.

Anyway, my move was going to be c5!? but I just refuted it now, so, never mind!

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 Rb8 28. Qd4+ Kh7 29. a4 b4 30. Bc4 Be6 31. Bxe6 Qxe6 32. Ne2 b3 33. Qd3 Rb4 34. cxb3 Rxb3
> Huh? Oh, haven't checked this game since a week ago...

> Anyway, my move was going to be c5!? but I just refuted it now, so, never mind!
Indeed that would have been a surprise...
35. Qc2 *
1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 Rb8 28. Qd4+ Kh7 29. a4 b4 30. Bc4 Be6 31. Bxe6 Qxe6 32. Ne2 b3 33. Qd3 Rb4 34. cxb3 Rxb3 35. Qc2 Re3
> Whoa! I had nothing on Qc2, that move took me by surprise. However, things are actually looking better than after Nd4 o_O
Well, my hope was you staying in my analysis-line which you now sadly left with 35...Re3 (password to my Arena-analysis-session-.z-file is: "ThankYouForTheGame!")...
And believe me, i wanted to play Nd4 much earlier... indeed my whole "last chance" is based on bringing this lazy Nc3-knight somehow into play (which was btw. also the complete theme of 25. Bf3?!) - and Ne2/Nd4 took ugly-lot time...
Regarding 35. Nd4 i thought after 35...Rxd3 36. Nxe6 Rxd1+ 37. Rxd1 g5! 38. Nd8 c5 39. Nb7 h5 40. Nxa5 g4 = my hopes are exactly zero (0.00).

36. Nd4 *
> Well, my hope was you staying in my analysis-line which you now sadly left with 35...Re3
Oh, that's odd, I can't find the variation in the sea, the line seems to end at 32...b3 33.Qd3 (with me leaving your analysis line at 33...Rb4) in your analysis file.
>35...Rxd3 36. Nxe6 Rxd1+ 37. Rxd1 g5!
Ah, I hadn't seen g5 yet on that one!
Also, whoa! It seems you were surpassing me by like 1.25 orders of magnitude in positions analyzed 25 days ago to what I have now

Anyway, Ponder Hit!

1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be3 O-O 6. Be2 c6 7. Qd2 Nbd7 8. h3 b5 9. a3 Qc7 10. Bh6 a5 11. h4 Bxh6 12. Qxh6 Ng4 13. Qd2 Ndf6 14. Ng5 e5 15. f3 exd4 16. Qxd4 Ne5 17. f4 Neg4 18. O-O-O h6 19. h5 Nxh5 20. f5 Qe7 21. Nh3 Nhf6 22. Nf2 Nxf2 23. Qxf2 Ne8 24. Kb1 Kg7 25. Qe3 Rh8 26. fxg6 fxg6 27. Rhf1 Rb8 28. Qd4+ Kh7 29. a4 b4 30. Bc4 Be6 31. Bxe6 Qxe6 32. Ne2 b3 33. Qd3 Rb4 34. cxb3 Rxb3 35. Qc2 Re3 36. Nd4 Qxe4
> Oh, that's odd, I can't find the variation in the sea, the line seems to end at 32...b3 33.Qd3 (with me leaving your analysis line at 33...Rb4) in your analysis file.
Indeed i seem to have added 33...Rb4 at a later stage (most likely the next day)... in any case i thought of it as potential transposition trying to trick me into a premature Nd4 and expecting you to play 35...Rb4 instead of 35...Re3 coming back to my line.
> Also, whoa! It seems you were surpassing me by like 1.25 orders of magnitude in positions analyzed 25 days ago to what I have now
We will yet have to see whether this is to my advantage or not.


37. Nxc6 *

38. Kxc2 *


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