Stuck at Your Current Rating?

Signup for free to join thousands of players who improved their game with our personalized tips and analysis

Free Signup

Move preview

levonaronian vs Msb2

win

Date: 2026-03-18 16:39:23 | Game Link

Game Navigator

3 key moments

Game Snapshot

Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation

Crucial Positions

	move #	position	classification	description
Move #: 23 Move: Ne5 blunder Midgame error lost winning advantage	23	Ne5	blunder	Midgame error lost winning advantage
WHAT HAPPENED Move Played: Ne5 White played 23.Ne5, moving the knight from f3 to e5. The knight lands on a square attacked by Black's knight on g6, and simultaneously leaves the pawn on e3 undefended. Black now threatens ...Nxe5, winning the piece, while the pawn on e3 can be captured by the queen on b6. Additionally, the rook on h7, a key attacking piece, becomes vulnerable to tactics such as ...Qxh7+. The move therefore turns a winning attack into a material loss. WHY IT'S BETTER Engine suggested: Qh6 The engine recommends 23.Qh6, a move that keeps the queen active, creates immediate threats on g7 and h7, and preserves the knight on f3. Qh6 also supports the rook on h7 and forces Black to respond to the check, preventing any ...Nxe5 ideas. By avoiding the knight sacrifice on a defended square, White retains material superiority and maintains the initiative. KEY PRINCIPLE Never place a piece on a square that is already attacked by an opponent’s piece unless you have a concrete tactical justification. Protect your pieces and keep the attack coordinated.
Move #: 29 Move: Qxf5 excellent Midgame found best move in complex position	29	Qxf5	excellent	Midgame found best move in complex position
WHAT HAPPENED Move Played: Qxf5 White captured on f5 with 29.Qxf5, eliminating Black's pawn that defended the g6‑knight and opening lines toward Black's king. The move also attacks the vulnerable pawn on b7 and keeps pressure on f7. After the capture, White threatens Qg6 and Qf7 mates while Black’s only realistic reply is ...Kg7, after which White can continue the assault with Qg6 or Qf7. WHY IT'S BETTER Engine suggested: Rxf7+ The engine’s top line, 29.Rxf7+ Rxf7, wins a pawn with a check but leaves the queen on e6 where it can be hit by ...Nxe6. By playing Qxf5, White not only wins a pawn but also removes a defender of the g6‑knight, creates immediate mating threats, and keeps the queen on a safe, active square. The queen capture is therefore more forcing and preserves the attack’s momentum. KEY PRINCIPLE When you have a forcing capture that also creates multiple threats, prefer it over a simple material gain. Coordination and initiative often outweigh a lone pawn win.
Move #: 41 Move: Qxf6+ best Endgame winning sacrifice	41	Qxf6+	best	Endgame winning sacrifice
WHAT HAPPENED Move Played: Qxf6+ White played 41.Qxf6+, capturing the pawn on f6 with check. The queen lands on f6 delivering a direct check to the Black king, while simultaneously removing Black's last active piece. Black has no legal response other than 41...Kg8, after which White will capture the rook on a8 or continue the attack with decisive material advantage. WHY THIS MOVE IS STRONG The engine also selects 41.Qxf6+ as the optimal move, confirming that this checking capture is the only move that retains the winning edge. Any other move would allow Black to consolidate, but Qxf6+ forces the king into a passive position and leaves Black with a lone rook versus White’s queen and extra pawn. KEY PRINCIPLE A checking capture that wins material and leaves the opponent without counterplay is often the winning move. Seize the initiative with forcing checks whenever possible.

Master Lens

LevonAronian won a sharp Queen's Gambit Declined by keeping the initiative from the opening, converting a powerful midgame attack into a forced queen ending, and then using relentless checking moves to finish the game. The win shows how precise piece coordination and timely forcing moves can turn a complex position into a clear victory.

What The GM Did Well By Phase

Opening

White quickly opened the center with 7.cxd5 and then placed the rook on c1 with **11.Rc1**, targeting Black's queen and the c‑file. By playing **14.Bb5** White forced the black bishop to stay passive and prepared the rook lift **17.Rh5**, which later became a key attacking piece. This demonstrates the principle of using early piece activity to create threats before the opponent can finish development.

Middlegame

After the blunder **23.Ne5**, White recovered by playing the very accurate **29.Qxf5**, which removed the defender of the g6‑knight, opened lines toward Black's king, and set up immediate mating threats such as Qg6 or Qf7. Later, the decisive **41.Qxf6+** was a checking capture that eliminated Black's last active piece and forced the king onto a vulnerable square, showing how a forcing capture that also wins material can seal the win.

Endgame

From move **41** onward White kept the queen active with a series of checks (**41.Qxf6+**, **42.Qg5+**, **43.Qf5+**, **44.Qe5+**, **45.Qe4+**) that drove the Black king back and prevented any counterplay. By constantly checking, White forced Black to move the king repeatedly, eventually winning the rook on a8 and delivering a forced resignation. This illustrates the endgame principle of using the queen’s mobility to dominate the opponent’s king and convert a material advantage into a win.

Game Themes

castling passed pawns bishop pair connected passed pawn