... and e5.

Yes, QxNe5 is the main threat, and if either knight to d7 then Ne6 is very powerful. Also if 14......Ne5? 15. Nxe5 fxe5 16. Bxe5! and black can't play dxe5 because there is Qd8 mate! The move Joanne plays is certainly the strongest for Black, but I suspect that she was also glad to get the queens off!

The threat is BxN however Why does white want to give up should a good piece? So black should not be afraid of BxN. 16. ...Ne8(going to d6) 17. BxN? BxN and black is better.

Was White figuring on exchanging B for N? Had he done so, Black would have been able to breathe more easily about her central dark squares.

I agree with you. 17.Bxd5 looks better to me.

After following through the game first I can understand why the program gives 17. c4 as the best line. The reason is that 17. Bxd5 needlessly trades off one of white's most valuable pieces. Therefore 17. c4 is better for several reasons. #1 it opens the center without sacrificing pieces #2 it leaves black with an isolated pawn #3 it forces the game into the endgame much sooner.

I think we agree that 17.Bxd5 is good enough - and there doesn't seem a whole lot of difference between the two in terms of which is the better line. Had I found 17.Bxd5 I reckon I would have played it as the more forcing line.

Not 17...Nxd5, which lost material after 18.Nxd5ch or 18.Bxg7.

I think the computer line is partially correct. Bxd5 draws because of 18. ...Kxf6 19. Nxd5+ Ke6 20. Nc7+ Kd6 21. Nxa8 Be6 22. Nb3+ Kc6 23. Nd4+ Bxd4 23. Rxd4 Rxa8 24. b3 Ne5 25. Kc2 Re8 26. f3 a5 27. Rhd1 Re7 28. c4 Kc7 29. R1d2 Nc6 30. Rd6 Nb4+ 31. Kb2 Na6 32. Kc2 Nc5=

I agree with elyhim that 18...Kxf6 seems to be the best defence. Does Black hold even so? In the line he gives, instead of 23.Nd4ch, why not 'desperado' the goner knight on a8: 23.Nxb6, going into the near-ending with Rook and three versus the bishop pair? At that, I'm beginning to think maybe 22.Nf3ch is to be preferred to Nb3ch, with this continuation: 22...Kc6 23.Nxb6 axb6 24.Kb1 Ra8 25.a3. Black can force the pace a little after that by 25...Bd5 26.Rhg1 (say) Re8 27.Rd2 Be4 28.Ka1, but then it is easier to find something for White to do (double rooks on the d-file) than it is for Black. White must still have the better chances in this line.

I feel 18...Bxf6 to be the better defence! 19.Nxd5+.Ke6 20 Nc7+Kd6 21.Nxa8.Kc6 22.e4.Be6 23.exf5.Bxf5 24.Nxb6.axb6.25.Nb3 =

Actually, there doesn't seem to be anything against taking the d5-pawn at once: 20.Nxd5 Bb7 21.Nf3 Rhe8 22.Rhe1 Rad8 22.Nf4 and White would rather welcome an exchange on f3.

I would probably have taken the pawn...

Very good, this hits at the real weakness which is the king itself.