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Logical in the sense that Black's King is his problem. So Arlandi connects the Rooks. 16.Ne5 Rae8 17.f4 Kd8 18.Rad1 Kc8 (The King march has its funny side.) 19.c4 c5 20.dxc5 Bxc5+ 21.Kh1 Rd8 22.f5 (The time spent wandering the board with the King means that White has been able to take the initiative.) 22...exf5 23.Bxf5+ Kb8 24.Nd3 and now Black has two ways to play:

A) 24...g5 25.Qh3 (25.Qg3 Qxg3 26.hxg3 Bd4! =)25...Bd4! =,

BLACK HAS SURVIVED

Black holds on, perhaps more.

B) 24...Qc6?! 25.Qg3+ Bd6 26.Be5 Ka8 27.Bxd6 (27.Rd2)27...Qxd6 28.Qxd6 Rxd6 29.Ne5 Rhd8 30.Rxd6 Rxd6 31.Kg1 Rd2 32.Rf2 Rd1+ 33.Rf1 Rd2, 1/2-1/2, Bellia -Arlandi, Porto San Giorgio 1997.

So, respectable results for Black but some rather dubious positions I think. Perhaps the last game represents the best chance for survival with 24...g5 to be quickly followed by ...Bd4 looking quite reasonable.

16.dxc5 Qxc5 17.Bd4!

A strong novelty, preventing ...Qh5.

In the recent game Leko-Bologan, Wijk aan Zee 2004, White had played 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Qxf6 when after 18…Qh5!! 19.Rfe1 Black died a gruesome death: 19…Rg8?? 20.Be4! (Neutralizing the main threat.) 20...Rxg2+ 21.Kxg2 Qg4+ 22.Kh1 Bxe4 23.Rxe4 Qxe4 24.Re1 Qh7 25.Nd4 Ke8 26.Nxe6

THE END OF THE UNIVERSE

However, Speelman would have improved on move nineteen with the simple 19…Bxf3! (instead of the catastrophic 19…Rg8??) 20.Qxf3 Bxh2+ 21.Kf1 Qxf3 22.gxf3 Ke7 with a Black advantage.

17...Qa5

Trying to keep in touch with h5 but, as Speelman pointed out in a recent newspaper column, that may not be totally essential. Instead, Speelman thinks that 17...Qc7! 18.Bxf6 Bxf3 19.Bb2 Bb7 is Black's best chance.

BEST CHANCE, BUT STILL NICE FOR WHITE

However, White must hold at least a small edge with connected Rooks and a more influential Queen.

18.Bxf6 gxf6

18...Bxf3!? was Black's original intention but then he noticed 19.Qd4 Bxh2+ 20.Kxh2 gxf6 21.Qd6+ Ke8 22.Rfe1!! which turns out well for White: 22...Qh5+ 23.Kg1 Rg8 24.Bb5+! (A couple of sacrifices to begin with but White gets everything back with interest.) 24...Qxb5 25.Rxe6+ fxe6 26.Qxe6+ Kd8 (26...Kf8 27.Qxf6+ Ke8 28.Qxf3) 27.Qxg8+ Kd7 28.Qf7+ Kc8 29.gxf3 with advantage.

19.Be4!

The same idea that Leko employed, neutralizing Black's powerful Bishop and giving White an undisputed positional advantage.

19...Bxe4 20.Qxe4 Rd8 21.Rad1

A CLEAR ADVANTAGE FOR WHITE

21...Qh5 22.Rd3 Kg7 23.Rfd1

Very powerful play. In effect the Black Bishop is useless.

23...Bc7 24.Rd7! b5 25.h3 Bb6

There are still no real weak points for the Bishop to latch on to. The pawn on f2 is very well covered.

26.c3 Rc8 27.R1d3 Rhe8 28.Nd4 Kh8

I would have hoovered off the Knight in an instant but as it turns out 28...Bxd4 would make no difference: 28...Bxd4 29.Rg3+ Kh8 30.Qxd4 e5 31.Qd6 Qf5 32.Rxf7, winning.

29.Qf4 Rg8 30.Qxf6+ Rg7 31.Nxe6, 1-0.

Talented players backed up by powerful computer programs are changing the face of chess. The 4...Nd7 line has been played and relied upon by many of the world's elite so of course it has almost been analyzed to death. We will have to see whether this game sounds the final death knell or whether there is life yet to be found.

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