For quite a while I thought this was essential (and certainly better than ...h6 in the present circumstances). But then I began to wonder if Black's attack might yet be quick enough to carry the day. Unfortunately, another consequence of the Rook's move is that a6 is on the line of the d3-Bishop, which puts a bit of a crimp in Black's attack. 21...b4 22.Qxh7ch Kf8 23.Qh8ch Ke7 24.Qxg7 Ba4ch 25.b3 ... Now, how to proceed? First we try Bxb3ch!? 26. Kxb3 a4ch 27.Ka2 b3 28.Ka1 b2ch 29.Kb1 Qb8. Black seems to have made spectacular progress, but then comes 30.Bxc4! ... and Black's counterattack seems to peter out after 30...Rxc4 31.Qf6 Kd2 (31...Ke8 32.Qh8ch and Black's Q comes off) 0r 30... dxc4 opens up the d-file for White's rooks. OK then, we still have 25...Nxa3ch 26.Kb2 (say) bxc3ch 27.Kxa3 Qb7 28.Rb1 Qb4 29.Ka2 Raa8 threatening ...Qxd4. If 30.Bf2, say, with a view to Bh4ch, Black might be forced to safeguard his King by 30...Be8 threatening ...a4. The whole situation remains unbelievably complicated. Bear in mind that at any time White can insert a series of checks that might spoil Black's schemes. At move 25 Black has also to consider 25...Ne3ch, forking K and R. White can't take owing to 26.Bxe3 Qxc3ch 27.Kb1 Qxb3ch (28.Ka1 Qa3ch 29.Kb1 Bxd1 30.Rxd1 Qxd1ch etc). But 26.Kd2 leaves Black with 3 pieces "en prise", and seemingly not enough attack. Having said all that, one is forced to conclude that Black's best chance lay in attack "a outrance". But that is hindsight. 21...g6 is certainly plausible.

White seizes the initative, throwing Black onto the defensive. Black can in fact stop the immediate mate threat (Qc7-d8-f8), but at a cost to his Q-side chances.

22...Nxe5! is Black's best - probably his only chance. Either pawn capture just weakens black the more: 22...exf5 23.gxf5 whereupon persisting in exchanges on f5 wins White a piece or opens the g-file for White. Otherwise, White can continue with f6 or fxg6, whichever seems best.

Consistent and strong.

also thereatining f6.

Desperation. But maybe 24...Rf6 needed to be tried. Black is in a bad way here - you don't often find pieces pinned against empty squares, but this one is excruciating. White has the potential (for what it's worth) to pile on the beleaguered knight, as well: 25.Rde1 Re8 26.Rxe5 Rxe5 27.Re1 etc.

Black is busted, no error!

26...Rf6 might have come into consideration: 27.h5 Rxf5 28.hxg6 fxg6; but White keeps his piece with 27.Bd3 or Bh3. Black has nothing - so he makes the most of it!

Good move. I like 28.Re1(!) as well!

I don't think Re1 is good as Rdg1. It doesn't have any real threat. however, Rdg1 takes advantage of black cramped position.

The only possible way for Black to deflect White from his attack is with checks - the only (legal) means by which he can force White to suspend offensive operations.

My first reaction was the same as Thomas's, but it turns out this move is perfectly safe. Possibly vegiemite was motivated by overconfidence and greed - but it is just as possible that his sober judgement considered this move to be as good as any alternative such as Kb1. The position is still winning for White.

The King would look awfully vulnerable on a4! 30.Ka4 Rc4ch 31 b4 (forced) axb4, threatening ...b3#. 32.axb4 Ra8ch 33.Kb3 Rxb4ch 34.cxb4 Qc4ch 35.Kb2 Qxd4ch 36.Kc2 Ra2ch 36.Kc1 Qa1ch 37.Bb1 Nd3ch 38.Kd1 Qxb1ch 39.Qc1 Qxc1 mate. The alternatives at move 36 don't help. And 32.cxb4 leads to the same attack. However, 32.axb4 does leave White the option of declining the rook sac by 34.Kc2, met by 34...Ra2ch and 35...Rxd4. But Black has to take into consideration this mess: 32.Qxh7ch Kxh7 33.hxg6ch Kg7 (or Kg8) 34.gxf7ch Kf8! 35.Rh8ch Ke7! and Black seems to escape the attempted swindle. Of course, 30.Ra2 led to the same thing as the text move...