Spirit triumphs over material!

Black’s position is difficult, but after 50...Rb5!, attacking the pawn on c5, White would still have to show some good technique.

Now, Black suffers further material losses, and loses the game. Although the rook on d4 is in the centre, it is trapped!

51...Ke7 52.Nxe5! Rxd2 53.Nxc6+! (an intermediate check) 53...Ke6 54.Kxd2+–.

Black resigned.

The black bishop on d5 is in a very dangerous position, and White only needs to play c2-c4.

With the same idea, White could also get a large advantage with 18.Bd2 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Nf5 20.c4 Nxe3 21.Bxe3 Qb4 22.Qe2, and the bishop is lost. Even so, the text move looks more accurate, because it does not close the d-file to his rook, and it also wins more material.

Black resigned.

In attacking the rook, Black naively counted on ensuring a favourable exchange of light-squared bishops on g2. However, he forgot about the safety of his Bb4, which has only one retreat square. There followed:

White gets two bishops for rook and pawn, and the rook currently lacks operating space. Black’s chances of saving the game are few.