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77.Qxh5
White has just captured Black's h-pawn to bring about the kind of endgame position which is very important in practical play. This position is a theoretical draw. Black, understandably enough, is not sure how he should proceed and therefore starts checking:
77...Qg7+
78.Ke6
Qg8+
79.Ke7
Qg7+?
#74 Black's previous two checks were O.K., but as if continuing by rote, this check is a critical error, because it allows White to significantly improve the position of his Queen. [ Correct - and keeping the position drawn - are 79...Qg3
and; 79...Qc4
Both prevent White from significantly improving his Queen's position.]
80.Qf7!
From here the Queen shelters the King well, and by being more centrally placed than on h5 it also covers more board room.
80...Qg3
#66 This is a very important theoretical position, because it is won for White. Notice that this conclusion comes while the h-pawn is still on its fourth rank. This is the position that I submitted to BELLE for analysis, correctly calling it "won for White." [80...Qg1
#73; 80...Qg2
#73]
81.Qf6+!
Kc7
#61 [81...Ka7
#65; 81...Kb7
#65]
82.Qg5??
Both Benko and Shamkovich credit this with a ! mark when in fact it is quite ridiculous. From f6 the Queen has more scope than on g5 and thus it should not be deactivated unless there is a specific winning reason. In our case there is not. [Sufficient to keep the position won are 82.Kf7, 82.Kf8 and 82.Ke8 . All of these moves free the e7 square for a potentially killing countercheck by White's Queen However, strongest is the immediate 82.h5!
BELLE then provides the following best play for both sides: 82...Qa3+
83.Kf7
Qa2+
84.Kg7
Qg2+
85.Qg6
Qb2+
86.Kh7
Qb3
87.h6
Kd7
88.Qf5+
Kd8
89.Qf8+
Kd7
90.Kh8
Kc6
91.Qe8+
Kc5
92.Qe5+
Kc6
93.Kg7
Qb7+
94.Kf6
Qb1
95.Qe8+
Kc5
96.Qh5+
Kc4
97.h7
Qb6+
98.Kg7
Qd4+
99.Kh6
Qd6+
100.Qg6
Qh2+
101.Kg7
Qb2+
102.Qf6
Qg2+
103.Kh6
Qh1+
104.Kg6
Qg2+
105.Qg5
Qc6+
106.Kg7
Qd7+
107.Kh6
Qh3+
108.Kg6
Qe6+
109.Qf6
Qg4+
110.Kf7
Qd7+
111.Kg8
Qg4+
112.Kf8
Qc8+
113.Kg7
Qg4+
114.Qg6
Qd4+
115.Kf8
Qd8+
116.Qe8
Qd6+
117.Qe7
Qh6+
118.Ke8
Qc6+
119.Qd7
Qa8+
120.Ke7
Qa3+
121.Kd8
Qf8+
122.Kc7
Qh8
123.Qf5
Kb3
124.Kd7
Qd4+
125.Ke7
Qc3
126.Qe6+
Kc2
127.Kf7
Qc7+
128.Kg6
Qg3+
129.Kf6
Qc3+
130.Kg5
Qg3+
131.Qg4
Qe3+
132.Kf6
Qb6+
133.Qe6
Qd4+
134.Kg6
Kd1
135.Kf7
Qa7+
136.Qe7
Qd4
137.Qc7
Qd5+
138.Ke8
Qe4+
139.Qe7
Qg6+
140.Kd8
Qb6+
141.Qc7
Qf6+
142.Kc8
Qa6+
143.Qb7
Qc4+
144.Kd8
Qh4+
145.Qe7
Qh5
146.Kc8
Kc2
147.Kb8
Qh3
148.Qg7
Qb3+
149.Qb7
Qh3
150.Qc8+
]
82...Qa3+
83.Kf7
Qb3+
84.Kg7
Qc3+
85.Qf6
Qg3+
86.Kh7
Qh3
87.Qg5
Kb6
88.h5
Qd7+
89.Qg7
Qh3
90.Qe5
Qd7+
91.Kg6
Qd3+
92.Qf5
Qg3+
93.Kf7
Qc7+
94.Kg8
Qb8+
95.Kg7
Qc7+
96.Qf7
Qh2
97.h6
Ka5
98.h7
Qe5+
99.Qf6
Qg3+
100.Kh6
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