In evaluating the position the first thing you
probably noticed was that White had a pair of minor pieces (knight &
bishop) for a rook. The first thing the player of the black pieces
might notice is the precarious nature of White's king.
1...Rb8!
Taking advantage of the back-rank weakness (2.Qxd6 leads directly to
mate after 2...Rxb1+.
Back in the actual game, White
has an overworked piece - the queen is protecting both the bishop and
the rook.
The other possible line for Black from the
starting position is 1...Qxb4 2.Bxb4 Rb8 3.Bf5 Rfd8 4.Bc5 Rxb1+ 5.Bxb1
Bxd4 6.Bxd4 Rxd4 7.Bc2
Analysis Diagram: after 7.Bc2
Now if White can reorganize her forces, especially that silly-looking
knight and most importantly the king, then Black's weak pawns might
prove fatal to him. For the record, Herr Fritz thinks this is
approximately equal, or possibly even slightly in Black's favor (-0.16
at 19-ply).
2.Qe1 Rxb1
Black knows he is going to win material, so he tries to exchange off
the heavy pieces (rooks and queens) in the process of winning that
material, in order to reach an endgame when his extra material will
provide an easily winning advantage.
3.Qxb1 Qxa3
Black has claimed his extra piece, and now instead of White having two
pieces for a rook, she is down the exchange (she has a minor piece, in
this case the knight, for her opponent's rook).
4.Nxf4 Ra8
No need to rush to recapture the pawn;
more important is to continue to move the game towards the endgame
phase by exchanging off the queens.
5.g3
Creating 'luft', or literally air, breathing space for the king,
eliminating the back-rank mate threat.
5...Qa1
6.Qxa1 Rxa1+ 7.Kg2 Bxd4
Black is still the exchange up, and now has a passed c-pawn that will
promote on the same colored square as his bishop. Sorry White, it's
time to turn out the lights; I think I hear the proverbial fat-lady
singing.
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