Answers.Body: <p>22...Rd2 saves the queen, but black is still down a massive amount of material. After white takes the rook on d2, he has two rooks for just a bishop. With such a huge material deficit, there is no possible hope of defending with normal play. The only chance for black would be to have an immediate attack on the king or other very strong compensation, which is not the case in the game. White's king is slightly open, but black has no way to take advantage of it and white can easily cover any threats to his king. Since black has no meaningful way to generate any play to make up for the material, he resigned.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T00:30:49.100Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-07-01T00:30:49.100Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: GrizzlyRawrz
Answers.Body: <p>"That is, from an experienced player's viewpoint, why do we assume that staying alive with Rd2 is not worth the effort, and how would White be sure to win regardless?"</p>
  
  <p>I don't want to speak for you but it seems you're getting more at a philosophical question about whether or not to resign than asking about the position.</p>
  
  <p>For an under 1200 section, this position may well be playable. As you get better, though, there are two factors which make you resign more frequently.</p>
  
  <p>The first is that the amount of energy you expend when playing chess goes up as your ability increases. It is very draining to play a slow game as a strong player, particularly when you have a bad position and it may be affecting your mood. In a tournament like the US Championship, the expected points you gain from the time to rest and prepare for your next game following a quick resignation dwarfs the expectation from dragging out a dead lost game. This ties into the second reason:</p>
  
  <p>Anybody decent, and especially not (in 2009) world top-20 GM Hikaru Nakamura, is going to let you get away with anything more than a loss in this position. Black staked everything on an attack which white easily rejected and won a ton of material besides. Playing this game out is just going to make people dislike you.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T20:55:27.157Z
Answers.Text: +1 for "Playing this game out is just going to make people dislike you." I was really looking for a technical play-by-play as in the accepted answer, but this answer is a great response to the inexperienced player's reluctance to resign because "you never know what can happen."
Answers.UserDisplayName: TwoMice
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T18:00:12.880Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-07-01T18:34:36.330Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-07-01T18:34:36.330Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Cleveland
Answers.Body: <p>Rd2 (giggling) is just a move like a computer which will not lose until it has been programmed to resign. There is nothing Black can do except run like a mouse here &amp; there. White is in an extreme dominating position with his Beautiful Knight on e5 making him supreme in the Game. Question is after sacrificing the rook what black can do?</p>
  
  <p>The point of this game is the exchange sacrifice on 16th move Rd3 which does not seem to be correct because white sacrificed his pawns and did not keep his weaknesses intact. He just opened up the position and Black made a tactical mistake and White trapped the queen. </p>
  
  <p>Thanks for bringing this game into concern . A lot of things to learn here .</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-05-10T08:56:28.380Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2020-03-05T19:29:58.540Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2020-03-05T19:29:58.540Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Seth Projnabrata
Answers.Body: <blockquote>
    <p>After White's 22. Bc1, it seems like responding with Rd2 would keep the game alive for Black. </p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>This is an entirely wrong assumption. Black has no counterplay whatsoever, while White holds the initiative. Being down material, Black has no resources/time to repel the coming attack, nor to organize a defense/counterplay. Because his queen is trapped he will be forced to lose even more material, which will only make things easier for White.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>I assume Friedel's a more insightful player than I am. What am I missing? </p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <pre><code>[Title "Easiest way to win this position as White"]
  [StartFlipped "0"]
  [fen "6k1/pb2bppp/5n2/n1p1N3/3r1qP1/1PN4P/P3QP2/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 1"]
  
  1...Rd2 $8 2.Bxd2 Qb4 $8 3.Nd5! $18 Qa3 ( 3...Qd4 4.Nxe7+ $18 ) 4.Nxe7+ $18
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>With two rooks up, White has an easy task of continuing the mating attack.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>That is, from an experienced player's viewpoint, why do we assume that staying alive with Rd2 is not worth the effort, and how would White be sure to win regardless?</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>He probably saw the line from the above diagram and decided to resign. Even though you are an inexperienced player, I doubt you would lose that position against the strongest engine on Earth, since Black has no counterplay and will be forced to exchange pieces to prolong the game after which extra rooks will decide. I will give you just one sample line that shows how I would continue as White:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[Title "Easiest way to win this position as White"]
  [StartFlipped "0"]
  [fen "6k1/pb2bppp/5n2/n1p1N3/3r1qP1/1PN4P/P3QP2/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 1"]
  
  1...Rd2 $8 2.Bxd2 Qb4 $8 3.Nd5! $18 Qa3 ( 3...Qd4 4.Nxe7+ $18 ) 4.Nxe7+ Kf8 $8 ( 4...Kh8 5.Nxf7# ) 5.Nd7+ Ke8 ( 5...Nxd7 6.Ng6+ Kg8 ( 6...fxg6 7.Qe8# ) ( 6...hxg6 7.Qe8# ) 7.Qe8+ Nf8 8.Qxf8# ) 6.Nxf6+ gxf6 ( 6...Kd8 7.Bxa5+ Qxa5 8.Qd3+ Kc7 9.Qg3+ Kb6 ( 9...Kd8 10.Qd6# ) 10.Qd6+ Kb5 ( 10...Bc6 11.Qxc6# ) 11.a4+ Kb4 ( 11...Qxa4 12.bxa4+ Kb4 ( 12...Ka5 13.Qxc5+ Ka6 14.Qb5# ) 13.Qd2+ Kc4 ( 13...Kb3 14.Re3+ Kc4 15.Qc3# ) 14.Rec1+ Kb3 15.Qc3# ) 12.Qd2+ Kxb3 13.Qd3+ Qc3 ( 13...Kb2 14.Reb1# ) ( 13...Kb4 14.Reb1# ) 14.Reb1# ) ( 6...Kf8 7.Ng6+ fxg6 ( 7...hxg6 8.Qe8# ) 8.Qe8# ) 7.Nd5+ Kd7 ( 7...Kd8 8.Qe8# ) ( 7...Kf8 8.Bh6+ Kg8 9.Qe8# ) 8.Qe8+ Kd6 9.Bf4+ Kxd5 10.Qe4#
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>As you can see, although the number of lines is vast, the attack is straightforward. The only "problem" I had with analyzing this for White was to find <strong>the best check with the queen</strong> so I can keep the lines forcing. I had to spend half an hour calculating all the lines but am sure a player of <em>Nakamura's</em> strength would find these in a matter of seconds...</p>
  
  <p>The above lines very instructively illustrate the hopelessness of Black's position, so there is no need for me to add anything else. If you need further help or clarification leave a comment. </p>
  
  <p>Best regards.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T19:07:57.310Z
Answers.Text: +1. How about 2...Qd4? Of course, it's winning for White, but is there a forced win immediately after that?
Answers.UserDisplayName: NM Wesley Falcao
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T19:29:03.677Z
Answers.Text: @Wes: I have missed that one, thank you for pointing that one! I will update my answer as soon as I finish the analysis of that position... Thanks for upvote!
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T20:34:33.837Z
Answers.Text: @Wes: I have found nothing. Sure, White can get winning endgame, but there were no forcing lines that lead to mate... So many times `...Qh4!` with motifs along the `a8-h1` diagonal cropped up and ruined the mating sequence... Perhaps engines can find a solution.
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T20:50:08.887Z
Answers.Text: This is great. The exploration of various lines clearly shows how white can force the game. Thanks!
Answers.UserDisplayName: TwoMice
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T21:08:34.743Z
Answers.Text: @CultZombie: Thank you for officially accepting the answer. If you need further help leave a comment ( chess diagrams are included too! ). Best regards.
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T17:26:52.570Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-05-10T00:40:17.053Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-05-10T00:40:17.053Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Body: <p>After White's 22. Bc1, it seems like responding with Rd2 would keep the game alive for Black. I assume Friedel's a more insightful player than I am. What am I missing? That is, from an experienced player's viewpoint, why do we assume that staying alive with Rd2 is not worth the effort, and how would White be sure to win regardless?</p>
  
  <pre><code>[fen ""]
  [White "Nakamura"]
  [Black "Friedel"]
  [Event "US Championship 2009"]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5 c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 Be7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. O-O Rb8 11. h3 c5 12. b3 Rb4 13. Re1 Bb7 14. Ba3 Rf4 15. g3 Rd4 16. Nf3 Rd3 17. cxd3 Qd3 18. Ne5 Qf5 19. g4 Qf4 20. d4 Rd8 21. Qe2 Rd4 22. Bc1
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T09:34:37.190Z
Comments.Text: After `...Rd2 23. Bxd2 Qb4` White could grab a pawn with `24. Nxf7` (if `...Kxf7` then `25. Qxe7+`), opening lines to the black king. It's just hopeless.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Landei
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T14:04:04.650Z
Comments.Text: @Landei After `22... Rd2 23.Bxd2 Qb4`, White is up two rooks for a bishop so can probably aim higher than winning a pawn... For example, 24.Nd5 wins at least a piece.
Comments.UserDisplayName: David Richerby
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T15:02:52.640Z
Comments.Text: Thanks @Dag Oskar Madsen for the edit. I couldn't find docs on that game widget, so that's very helpful.
Comments.UserDisplayName: TwoMice
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-07-01T20:04:47.857Z
Comments.Text: [This thread](http://meta.chess.stackexchange.com/questions/279/tool-used-to-create-chess-analysis-interactive-diagrams-in-many-chess-stack-exch/280#280) sums up basics for generating diagrams pretty well. If you need further help leave me a comment. Best regards.
Comments.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Tags: <analysis><endgame><two-knights><italian-game><famous-games>
Title: In Nakamura v. Friedel in 2009, (22. Bc1) why did Friedel resign?
ThreadText: # In Nakamura v. Friedel in 2009, (22. Bc1) why did Friedel resign?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-06-30)
  
  After White's 22. Bc1, it seems like responding with Rd2 would keep the game alive for Black. I assume Friedel's a more insightful player than I am. What am I missing? That is, from an experienced player's viewpoint, why do we assume that staying alive with Rd2 is not worth the effort, and how would White be sure to win regardless?
  
  ```
  [fen ""]
  [White "Nakamura"]
  [Black "Friedel"]
  [Event "US Championship 2009"]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5 c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 Be7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. O-O Rb8 11. h3 c5 12. b3 Rb4 13. Re1 Bb7 14. Ba3 Rf4 15. g3 Rd4 16. Nf3 Rd3 17. cxd3 Qd3 18. Ne5 Qf5 19. g4 Qf4 20. d4 Rd8 21. Qe2 Rd4 22. Bc1
  
  ```
  
  **Tags:** analysis, endgame, two-knights, italian-game, famous-games
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: After `...Rd2 23. Bxd2 Qb4` White could grab a pawn with `24. Nxf7` (if `...Kxf7` then `25. Qxe7+`), opening lines to the black king. It's just hopeless.  
  > **username_2**: @username_1 After `22... Rd2 23.Bxd2 Qb4`, White is up two rooks for a bishop so can probably aim higher than winning a pawn... For example, 24.Nd5 wins at least a piece.  
  > **username_0**: Thanks @Dag Oskar Madsen for the edit. I couldn't find docs on that game widget, so that's very helpful.  
  > **username_3**: [This thread](http://meta.chess.stackexchange.com/questions/279/tool-used-to-create-chess-analysis-interactive-diagrams-in-many-chess-stack-exch/280#280) sums up basics for generating diagrams pretty well. If you need further help leave me a comment. Best regards.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 4 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2014-07-01. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
  
  > After White's 22. Bc1, it seems like responding with Rd2 would keep the game alive for Black.
  
  This is an entirely wrong assumption. Black has no counterplay whatsoever, while White holds the initiative. Being down material, Black has no resources/time to repel the coming attack, nor to organize a defense/counterplay. Because his queen is trapped he will be forced to lose even more material, which will only make things easier for White.
  
  > I assume Friedel's a more insightful player than I am. What am I missing?
  
  ```
  [Title "Easiest way to win this position as White"]
  [StartFlipped "0"]
  [fen "6k1/pb2bppp/5n2/n1p1N3/3r1qP1/1PN4P/P3QP2/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 1"]
  
  1...Rd2 $8 2.Bxd2 Qb4 $8 3.Nd5! $18 Qa3 ( 3...Qd4 4.Nxe7+ $18 ) 4.Nxe7+ $18
  
  ```
  
  With two rooks up, White has an easy task of continuing the mating attack.
  
  > That is, from an experienced player's viewpoint, why do we assume that staying alive with Rd2 is not worth the effort, and how would White be sure to win regardless?
  
  He probably saw the line from the above diagram and decided to resign. Even though you are an inexperienced player, I doubt you would lose that position against the strongest engine on Earth, since Black has no counterplay and will be forced to exchange pieces to prolong the game after which extra rooks will decide. I will give you just one sample line that shows how I would continue as White:
  
  ```
  [Title "Easiest way to win this position as White"]
  [StartFlipped "0"]
  [fen "6k1/pb2bppp/5n2/n1p1N3/3r1qP1/1PN4P/P3QP2/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 1"]
  
  1...Rd2 $8 2.Bxd2 Qb4 $8 3.Nd5! $18 Qa3 ( 3...Qd4 4.Nxe7+ $18 ) 4.Nxe7+ Kf8 $8 ( 4...Kh8 5.Nxf7# ) 5.Nd7+ Ke8 ( 5...Nxd7 6.Ng6+ Kg8 ( 6...fxg6 7.Qe8# ) ( 6...hxg6 7.Qe8# ) 7.Qe8+ Nf8 8.Qxf8# ) 6.Nxf6+ gxf6 ( 6...Kd8 7.Bxa5+ Qxa5 8.Qd3+ Kc7 9.Qg3+ Kb6 ( 9...Kd8 10.Qd6# ) 10.Qd6+ Kb5 ( 10...Bc6 11.Qxc6# ) 11.a4+ Kb4 ( 11...Qxa4 12.bxa4+ Kb4 ( 12...Ka5 13.Qxc5+ Ka6 14.Qb5# ) 13.Qd2+ Kc4 ( 13...Kb3 14.Re3+ Kc4 15.Qc3# ) 14.Rec1+ Kb3 15.Qc3# ) 12.Qd2+ Kxb3 13.Qd3+ Qc3 ( 13...Kb2 14.Reb1# ) ( 13...Kb4 14.Reb1# ) 14.Reb1# ) ( 6...Kf8 7.Ng6+ fxg6 ( 7...hxg6 8.Qe8# ) 8.Qe8# ) 7.Nd5+ Kd7 ( 7...Kd8 8.Qe8# ) ( 7...Kf8 8.Bh6+ Kg8 9.Qe8# ) 8.Qe8+ Kd6 9.Bf4+ Kxd5 10.Qe4#
  
  ```
  
  As you can see, although the number of lines is vast, the attack is straightforward. The only "problem" I had with analyzing this for White was to find **the best check with the queen** so I can keep the lines forcing. I had to spend half an hour calculating all the lines but am sure a player of *Nakamura's* strength would find these in a matter of seconds...
  
  The above lines very instructively illustrate the hopelessness of Black's position, so there is no need for me to add anything else. If you need further help or clarification leave a comment.
  
  Best regards.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: +1. How about 2...Qd4? Of course, it's winning for White, but is there a forced win immediately after that?  
  > **username_3**: @Wes: I have missed that one, thank you for pointing that one! I will update my answer as soon as I finish the analysis of that position... Thanks for upvote!  
  > **username_3**: @Wes: I have found nothing. Sure, White can get winning endgame, but there were no forcing lines that lead to mate... So many times `...Qh4!` with motifs along the `a8-h1` diagonal cropped up and ruined the mating sequence... Perhaps engines can find a solution.  
  > **username_0**: This is great. The exploration of various lines clearly shows how white can force the game. Thanks!  
  > **username_3**: @CultZombie: Thank you for officially accepting the answer. If you need further help leave a comment ( chess diagrams are included too! ). Best regards.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2014-07-01. Score: 12
  
  22...Rd2 saves the queen, but black is still down a massive amount of material. After white takes the rook on d2, he has two rooks for just a bishop. With such a huge material deficit, there is no possible hope of defending with normal play. The only chance for black would be to have an immediate attack on the king or other very strong compensation, which is not the case in the game. White's king is slightly open, but black has no way to take advantage of it and white can easily cover any threats to his king. Since black has no meaningful way to generate any play to make up for the material, he resigned.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2014-07-01. Score: 6
  
  "That is, from an experienced player's viewpoint, why do we assume that staying alive with Rd2 is not worth the effort, and how would White be sure to win regardless?"
  
  I don't want to speak for you but it seems you're getting more at a philosophical question about whether or not to resign than asking about the position.
  
  For an under 1200 section, this position may well be playable. As you get better, though, there are two factors which make you resign more frequently.
  
  The first is that the amount of energy you expend when playing chess goes up as your ability increases. It is very draining to play a slow game as a strong player, particularly when you have a bad position and it may be affecting your mood. In a tournament like the US Championship, the expected points you gain from the time to rest and prepare for your next game following a quick resignation dwarfs the expectation from dragging out a dead lost game. This ties into the second reason:
  
  Anybody decent, and especially not (in 2009) world top-20 GM Hikaru Nakamura, is going to let you get away with anything more than a loss in this position. Black staked everything on an attack which white easily rejected and won a ton of material besides. Playing this game out is just going to make people dislike you.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: +1 for "Playing this game out is just going to make people dislike you." I was really looking for a technical play-by-play as in the accepted answer, but this answer is a great response to the inexperienced player's reluctance to resign because "you never know what can happen."  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2017-05-10. Score: 1
  
  Rd2 (giggling) is just a move like a computer which will not lose until it has been programmed to resign. There is nothing Black can do except run like a mouse here & there. White is in an extreme dominating position with his Beautiful Knight on e5 making him supreme in the Game. Question is after sacrificing the rook what black can do?
  
  The point of this game is the exchange sacrifice on 16th move Rd3 which does not seem to be correct because white sacrificed his pawns and did not keep his weaknesses intact. He just opened up the position and Black made a tactical mistake and White trapped the queen.
  
  Thanks for bringing this game into concern . A lot of things to learn here .
  
  
  ---
  
  