Perhaps all these precautions are unnecessary, but White feels that he has more than enough time to prepare his attack, and wants to be secure in every way before he begins.
| 21. ........ | P - Kt 4 | |
| 22. P - K 4 | P - B 5 | |
| 23. Q - B 2 | Kt - K 6 |
He had better have played Kt - B 3; and tried later on to get rid of White's Knights by means of Kt - Q 2.
| 24. R × Kt |
with this sacrifice of the Rook for a Knight and Pawn White obtains an overwhelming position.
| 24. ........ | P × R | |
| 25. Q × P | Kt - B 1 |
Kt - Q 2 was better in order to get rid of one of the two White Knights. There were, however, any number of good replies to it, among them the following: Kt (B 5) × Kt, B × Kt; Q × P, Q × Q; Kt - B 7 ch, K - Kt 2; Kt × Q, and with two Pawns for the exchange, and the position so much in his favour, White should have no trouble in winning.