Here, the rook exerts strong pressure on the open file. In open positions, such an approach is usually more effective than building pressure on some weakness or other. So this move is stronger than 20.Rhc1, for example.

The most technical. The king moves to a safe zone, and Black will inevitably come under an attack.

Black is helpless, and White can take his time.

Black resigned.

All of Black’s hopes of freeing his position are bound up with the advance d6-d5. White’s next few moves are directed at preventing this:

White has more space, so exchanges do not favour him:

26.Ne3! bxc4 27.bxc4 Qc8 28.Bd2 Ng6 29.Nd5 Nxd5 30.cxd5 Rf6 31.Qb3

Black’s queenside is defenceless, with his light-squared bishop presenting an especially poor impression.

Black’s position looks critical, as he lacks space and his pieces are uncoordinated. White threatens the break e5-e6, and also wants to play Bg4-f3, with the threat of d4-d5. But there is a brilliant way to change the contours of the game:

The e5-pawn is blocked, and the knight gets a path to d5 via e7.