Hi. |16.q9 17.s11 18.t8 , and I think that black wins...

I just about to say he would have the same problem - but, |16.q9 17.t9 18.s13 - so, without o15's help, he would have had the same problem.

This is sad for Steven, because this is the only game he lost in Championship 33. If he had won this game, the Championship would be his. As it is now, he is no longer in control of his destiny, and he needs Florian to lose both of the remaining games (against technolion and David). I have not analyzed those games, but it sounds like long odds to me, and RoRoRo agrees: 3.52%. Well, that's better odds than rolling a pair of sixes.

Yes, there were some problems, but after |16.q9 I could play 17.t12 ?

And I was in troubles against Samdakota also ... it is never easy to win but I'm trying everything to keep the crown in France :-)'

|16.s13 is probably winning, for instance 17.r14 18.q9 19.u11 20.u9

Maybe 17.v12 ?

I also thought to something like |16.s13 17.h8 18.i8 19.i17 20.l15 and around 21.e12 but it's not working :-(

Sam had a win against you and gave up too early. I reviewed this game before the resignation and found a better move earlier on, but alas, it was too late by then. I really thought I had you on the ropes with 14.p7.

I even thought I could have played the Medcalf defense, but thought I did not need to risk it. Silly me.

The Medcalf was risky because of the threat in h8.

Maybe something like:

|16.t5 17.h8 18.i8 19.r6 20.o5 21.s4 22.s10 23.o9 24.q9 25.m8 26.j5 27.k7 28.l6 29.i6

I think that 16.q9 is winning because it threats s13, thanks to o15, and white must take care of it.
|16.q9 17.t10 18.s13
|16.q9 17.s11 18.t8
|16.q9 17.t12 18.t15 19.s15 20.r11
|16.q9 17.t12 18.t15 19.u14 20.r16 21.s17 22.v14 23.r14 24.r11

Oh yeah, t15, nice !

By the way, what about 15.q6 ?
If 16.q5 : |15.q6 16.q5 17.p8 18.o9 19.u6 20.q10 21.s11 , and s13 isn't a double threat anymore
If anything else such like 16.r8, then 17.m8 :
|15.q6 16.r8 17.m8 18.l8 19.n10 20.n7 21.o7
|15.q6 16.r8 17.m8 18.n8 19.l10 20.l7 21.k7 22.j6 23.i6 24.h5 25.g7

Hmmm... It's too late in France...
|15.q6 16.q5 17.p8 18.o9 19.u6 20.r7 seems good for black
|15.q6 16.q5 17.p8 18.o9 19.u7 may be better, but I haven't dug into it

Haha Thierry, we have to go to sleep my friend (-;

(q6 is interesting !)

|15.q6 16.q5 17.p8 18.o9 19.u7 and if 20.s9 ?

The problem is maybe |11.q12

What about 11.r12, is it better ?

|16.q9 17.t12 18.t15 19.u14 20.r16 21.s17 22.v14 23.s15 looks good for white. But how about

|16.q9 17.t12 18.r16 19.s15 20.t15 21.p18 22.r11 or
|16.q9 17.t12 18.r16 19.s17 20.s14

|15.q6 16.q5 17.p8 18.o9 19.u6 20.s9

Oh Florian beat me to it :-)

And |11.r12 12.n18 looks playable, continuing the "windmill" but this is mostly a guess.

Yeah |11.r12 seems better.

And I insist, to me |16.s13 is more simpler ... just game over no ?

For instance: |16.s13 17.r14 18.q9 19.s11 20.t8

David, if |16.q9 17.t12 18.r16 19.s17 20.s14 21.s13 ?

Whoops. But maybe I could change the move order:

|16.q9 17.t12 18.r16 19.s17 20.t10 21.s9 22.s14 23.s13 24.u13 25.r14 26.r11

I agree |16.s13 is more direct.

Perhaps I missed this thread...

|16.q9 17.t12 18.t15 19.u14 20.r16 21.s17 22.v14 23.s15

My thinking:

|16.t5 17.h8 18.j6 19.i10 20.i8 21.e12 22.e8 23.g6 24.g12 25.g13 26.f10
|16.t5 17.h8 18.j6 19.r6 20.o5 21.s4 22.s10 23.o9 24.q9 25.m8 26.k4 27.i10 28.i8 or
|16.t5 17.h8 18.j6 19.i10 20.i8 21.e12 22.f9 23.d10 24.d8 25.d6 26.b7 or
|16.t5 17.h8 18.j6 19.i6 20.i8 21.e12 22.e10 23.f9 24.f12 25.g13 26.d8

but maybe im wrong and miss something?

spd_iv, in your second line, how about

|16.t5 17.h8 18.j6 19.r6 20.o5 21.s4 22.s10 23.o9 24.q9 25.m8 26.k4 27.l6

Anyway, |16.s13 is more direct, as Florian pointed out.

This was a lively discussion but a very messy one. I just have one variation to mention which concerns the position after |16.q9 17.t12 18.r16 19.s17 This was a puzzle position I posted on BoardGameGeek. I thought the answer was a complicated line 20.t10 21.s9 22.s14 23.s13 24.u13 25.r14 26.r11 but now I believe there is a simpler solution 20.u7 21.v8 22.w8 so my "puzzle" is busted.