And here Nikolic failed to find the only defense against the threat 26…Rd4!: 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Qh4.

26.0-0-0 looks like the normal follow-up. After 26…Nxg5 27.hxg5 Black is practically forced to play 27…Nh7, leaving White with a clear plus. Now the game becomes tense again, until Black overlooks an immediately decisive blow.

Black resigned.

Yes, the pawn can be taken en passant. Which is practically forced, as Black is threatening to capture on h3. A bishop sac on g2 is also looming. 22…Kd8 23.Qe3 is less clear (23.Qxf7? Rxh3).

At the cost of another pawn, the king has found a safe place. All Black’s other pieces are pointing at the white king. White is utterly helpless.

If 24.Ne3 Rxh3 25.gxh3 Rxh3 wins.

And Black won.

Again a well-known manoeuvre, making use of the weak c6-square.

Here the 1997 Junior World Champion slips up. He could have reached the desired better endgame with the cunning 30…Bxc6 31.Nxc6 Bf4 32.Bxf4 Nxf4 33.Nxd8 (33.Kf1 Rd7) 33…Ne2+ 34.Kf1 Nxc1 35.Nb7 Rc2.