Surprisingly enough, in this position White can afford to play
22.Nxe6!
- answer A). [22.Rd8?!
(22.Bf1? Qxf3 is no real alternative) would be weaker, since after 22...Qg1+
the rook has to go back because 23.Bd1
is strongly met by 23...Bd7!
when White has big trouble keeping things together: 24.Rxe8+
(24.Rxd7
Nxd7-+
) 24...Bxe8
25.Qd8
Kg7!
(even stronger than 25...Qxc5
26.Qxe8+
Kg7
) 26.Qd5
, and here Black has the pleasant choice between 26...Nxf3 or the clearly favourable endgame after 26...Nd3!
27.Nxd3
Qxd1+
28.Nc1
Qxd5
29.exd5
Kf6
] In the analysis, both players had discarded this move due to the obvious
22...Qxe2?
when two white pieces are left en prise. [Correct is 22...Rxe6
although after 23.Qe3
has passed the worst, e.g. 23...Qxh2
24.f4
Nc6
25.Bf3
followed by 26.e5 with good coordination.] Yet this is followed by the hammerblow
23.Qd8!!
, and due to the mate motif
23...Rxd8
24.Rxd8#
White is the one who wins.
For more on this game with its most interesting opening phase, kindly see Marin's original annotations on ChessBase Magazine Online under
http://www.chessbase.com/cbm/cbm132e/cbm132-03/lupulescu_marin.htm 1/2-1/2