How long until your favorite engine finds f4?

[kgburcham]

[D] r2qkb1r/1b1n1pp1/p3p2p/3pn1P1/Np1NP2P/4BP1B/PPPQ4/2KR3R w kq - 0 1

Critter 0.90 64-bit SSE4:

1.f4
+/- (0.87 ++) Depth: 20/62 00:01:44 631mN
1.f4
+/- (0.98 ++) Depth: 20/77 00:02:18 835mN
1.f4
+/- (1.16 ++) Depth: 20/77 00:02:43 982mN
1.f4
+- (1.42 ++) Depth: 20/77 00:03:29 1261mN
1.f4 Nc4 2.Qe2 hxg5 3.hxg5 Qa5 4.b3 0-0-0 5.g6 Kb8 6.gxf7 Nc5 7.Nxe6 Nxe6 8.Bxe6 Rxh1 9.Rxh1 Nxe3 10.Qxe3 dxe4 11.Kb1 Qc7 12.f5 a5 13.Rg1 Bd5 14.Rd1 Bc6 15.Re1 Bb7 16.Rf1 Qe5 17.Nb6 Bc5 18.f8Q Bxf8
+- (1.41) Depth: 20/77 00:04:14 1542mN
1.f4 Nc4 2.Qe2 hxg5 3.hxg5 Qa5 4.b3 0-0-0 5.g6 Kb8 6.gxf7 Nc5 7.Nxe6 Nxe6 8.Bxe6 Rxh1 9.Rxh1 Nxe3 10.Qxe3 dxe4 11.Kb1 Qc7 12.f5 a5 13.Rg1 Bd5 14.Rd1 Bc6 15.Rxd8+ Qxd8 16.Nb2 Ka8 17.Nc4 Qd1+ 18.Kb2 g5 19.Qxg5 a4 20.Qc1 Bg7+ 21.Kb1
+- (1.53 ++) Depth: 21/77 00:06:00 2181mN
1.f4 Nc4 2.Qe2 hxg5 3.hxg5 Qa5 4.b3 0-0-0 5.g6 Kb8 6.gxf7 Nc5 7.Nxe6 Nxe6 8.Bxe6 Rxh1 9.Rxh1 Nxe3 10.Qxe3 dxe4 11.Kb1 Qc7 12.f5 a5 13.Rg1 Bd5 14.Rd1 Bc6 15.Rxd8+ Qxd8 16.Nb2 Ka8 17.Nc4 Qd1+ 18.Kb2 g5 19.Qxg5 a4 20.Qc1 Bg7+ 21.Kb1
+- (1.65 ++) Depth: 21/77 00:08:11 2989mN

[kgburcham]

Dann note in the game f4 is played at move 18.

Solovjov,S - Pavlov,A, Petroff Mem Open 2000
[D] r2qkb1r/1b1n1pp1/p3p2p/3pn1P1/Np1NP2P/4BP1B/PPPQ4/2KR3R w kq - 0 1

Deep Rybka 4 SSE42 x64:

17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Qf2 Rc8 19.b3 Be7 20.Kb1 h5 21.Rhg1 0-0 22.f4 Ng4 23.Bxg4 hxg4 24.Rxg4 Be4 25.Ka1 Nc5
= (0.20) Depth: 12 00:00:01 763kN
17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Qf2 Rc8 19.b3 Be7 20.Kb1 h5 21.Rhg1 0-0 22.f4 Ng4 23.Bxg4 hxg4 24.Rxg4 Be4 25.h5 Qc7 26.g6
= (0.23) Depth: 13 00:00:02 1738kN
17.exd5 Bxd5 18.gxh6 gxh6 19.Qe2 Qa5 20.b3 Rc8 21.Bf4 Bg7 22.Rhg1 Bf6 23.Kb1 Nc4 24.Bc1 Nc5 25.Nxc5 Rxc5 26.Qh2 Be5 27.f4
= (0.22) Depth: 14 00:00:06 4787kN
17.Kb1 Rc8 18.Qe2 Qa5 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.b3 Be7 21.gxh6 gxh6 22.Bf4 Qc7 23.Rhe1 Bf6 24.Bg2 a5 25.Qf2
+/= (0.27) Depth: 14 00:00:13 10527kN
17.Qf2 dxe4 18.g6 Nxg6 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Bxe6 Bc6 21.Nb6 Nge5 22.Nxa8 Qxa8
+/= (0.35 ++) Depth: 14 00:00:14 10620kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 g6 19.gxh6 dxe4 20.fxe4 Rc8 21.Kb1 Bxe4 22.Rhe1 Bd5 23.Qd2 Qc7 24.Bf1
+/= (0.50 ++) Depth: 14 00:00:18 13576kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.f4 Nc4 21.Kb1 Na3+ 22.Kb2 g6 23.e5 Nc4+ 24.Kb1 Kb8 25.Bc1 Be7 26.Bg2 Rc8 27.Rxh8 Rxh8 28.bxc4 Qxa4 29.cxd5 exd5 30.e6 fxe6
+/= (0.43) Depth: 14 00:00:21 15981kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.f4 Nc4 21.Kb1 Na3+ 22.Kb2 g6 23.e5 Nc4+ 24.Kb1 Kb8 25.Bc1 Be7 26.Bg2 Rc8 27.Rxh8 Rxh8 28.bxc4 Qxa4 29.cxd5 exd5 30.e6 fxe6
+/= (0.54) Depth: 15 00:00:25 19034kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.f4 Nc4 21.e5 Kb8 22.g6 Nc5 23.gxf7 Nxa4 24.bxa4 Qxa4 25.Kb1 Rxh3 26.Rxh3[] Qa3 27.c3 bxc3 28.Rd3 Qa5 29.Nxe6 Nxe3 30.Nxf8 Qb4+ 31.Ka1 Ng4 32.Qg2
+/= (0.65) Depth: 16 00:00:44 33532kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.f4 Nc4 21.e5 Kb8 22.g6 Nc5 23.gxf7 Nxa4 24.bxa4 Qxa4 25.Kb1 Rxh3 26.Rxh3[] Qa3 27.c3 bxc3 28.Rd3 Qa5 29.Nxe6 Nxe3 30.Nxf8 Qb4+ 31.Ka1 Ng4 32.Qg2
+/= (0.65) Depth: 17 00:00:52 39088kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.Qg1 g6 21.exd5 Bxd5 22.Bxe6 Rxh1 23.Bxd7+ Nxd7 24.Qxh1 Kb7 25.Kb1 Nc5 26.Nxc5+ Bxc5 27.Qh3 Qc7 28.Qg4 Be6 29.Qg1 Bxd4 30.Bxd4 Rc8 31.Qf2
+/= (0.62) Depth: 18 00:01:24 66949kN
17.gxh6 Nc4 18.Qe2 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Qf6 20.exd5 g6 21.f4 Bxh6 22.Ne2 Qe5 23.Qxe5 Nxe5 24.Bg2 Rc8 25.Nb6 Rd8 26.h5 Rd6 27.Kb1 Ng4 28.Nc4 Rxd5
+/= (0.66) Depth: 18 00:03:28 176mN
17.b3 dxe4 18.f4
+/- (0.77 ++) Depth: 18 00:03:43 188mN
17.b3 dxe4 18.f4
+/- (0.92 ++) Depth: 18 00:04:02 200mN
17.b3 Qa5 18.gxh6 dxe4 19.Rhg1 gxh6 20.Nxe6[] fxe6 21.f4[] Bd5 22.fxe5[] Rc8 23.Qe2 Qc7 24.Qh5+ Ke7 25.Rd2
+/- (1.29) Depth: 18 00:07:45 371mN
17.b3 Qa5 18.gxh6 dxe4 19.Rhg1 gxh6 20.Nxe6[] fxe6 21.f4[] Bd5 22.fxe5[] Rc8 23.Qe2 Qc7 24.Qh5+ Ke7 25.Rd2
+- (1.41 ++) Depth: 19 00:10:45 505mN
17.b3 h5 18.f4 Ng4 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Rhe1 Qc7 21.Bg2 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 0-0-0 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Kb1 Nb6 25.Nxb6+ Qxb6 26.Nf5 Bc5 27.Re5 g6 28.Ne7+ Kb7 29.Nxd5 Qc6 30.Qd3 Rhe8 31.Rxe8 Qxe8 32.f5
+/- (1.40) Depth: 19 00:15:14 694mN
17.b3 h5 18.f4 Ng4 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Rhe1 Qc7 21.Bg2 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 0-0-0 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Kb1 Nb6 25.Nxb6+ Qxb6 26.Nf5 Bc5 27.Re5 g6 28.Ne7+ Kb7 29.Nxd5 Qc6 30.Qd3 Rhe8 31.Rxe8 Qxe8 32.f5
+/- (1.40) Depth: 20 00:16:22 744mN
17.b3 h5 18.f4 Ng4 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Rhe1 Qc7 21.Bg2 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 0-0-0 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Kb1 Nb6 25.Nxb6+ Qxb6 26.Nf5 Bc5 27.Re5 g6 28.Ne7+ Kb7 29.Nxd5 Qc6 30.Qd3 Rhe8 31.Rxe8 Qxe8 32.f5
+/- (1.40) Depth: 21 00:18:15 832mN
17.b3 h5 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Bg2
+- (1.52 ++) Depth: 22 00:26:23 1179mN
17.b3 h5 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Bg2
+- (1.67 ++) Depth: 22 00:48:21 2140mN


[Event "Petroff Mem Open"]
[Site "St Petersburg RUS"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Solovjov, S."]
[Black "Pavlov, Al"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2449"]
[BlackElo "2311"]
[PlyCount "108"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bc1 Nf6 8. f3
e6 9. Be3 b5 10. Qd2 Bb7 11. O-O-O Nbd7 12. g4 h6 13. h4 b4 14. Na4 d5 15. Bh3
Ne5 16. g5 Nfd7 17. g6 Nxg6 18. f4 Qa5 19. b3 Nf6 20. exd5 Bxd5 21. f5 Nxh4 22.
fxe6 Be7 23. Qf2 g5 24. Nf5 Nxf5 25. Qxf5 Rc8 26. Rhf1 Rc6 27. Bd4 Qc7 28. Bxf6
Bxe6 29. Qe4 Bxh3 30. Bxe7 Re6 31. Qa8+ Kxe7 32. Rxf7+ Kxf7 33. Qxh8 Bf5 34. c4
Qf4+ 35. Kb2 Re2+ 36. Ka1 Qf2 37. Nb2 Re1 38. Qd8 Rxd1+ 39. Qxd1 Qc2 40. Qd5+
Kg6 41. Qc6+ Kh5 42. Qh1+ Kg4 43. Qg1+ Kf3 44. Qh1+ Kf4 45. Qf1+ Ke5 46. Qe1+
Kf6 47. Qh1 h5 48. Qc6+ Ke5 49. Qd5+ Kf4 50. Qd4+ Kf3 51. Qg1 g4 52. c5 g3 53.
c6 Qb1+ 54. Qxb1 Bxb1 0-1

[yanquis1972]

a good example of the randomness involved in SMP search (updated) --

Deep Rybka 4
[+1.29] d=21 1.f4 Nc4 2.Qd3 Nc5 3.Nxc5 Bxc5 4.g6 O–O 5.gxf7 Kh8 6.e5 Rxf7 7.Bxe6 Re7 8.Bh3 Nxe3 9.Qxe3 a5 10.Kb1 a4 11.f5 Qc7 12.e6 Rf8 13.Rhg1 a3 14.b3 Bc6 (0:36:19) 1621249kN
[+1.29] d=20 1.f4 Nc4 2.Qd3 Nc5 3.Nxc5 Bxc5 4.g6 O–O 5.gxf7 Kh8 6.e5 Rxf7 7.Bxe6 Re7 8.Bh3 Nxe3 9.Qxe3 a5 10.Kb1 a4 11.f5 Qc7 12.e6 Rf8 13.Rhg1 a3 14.b3 Bc6 (0:33:25) 1492017kN
[+1.14] d=20 1.f4 Nc4 2.Qd3 Nc5 3.Nxc5 Bxc5 4.g6 O–O 5.gxf7 Kh8 6.e5 Bc8 7.Bg1 Bxd4 8.Bxd4 Rxf7 9.Qg6 Rxf4 10.b3 (0:29:28) 1321497kN
[+0.99] d=20 1.f4 Nc4 2.Qd3 Nc5 3.Nxc5 Bxc5 4.g6 O–O 5.gxf7 Kh8 6.e5 Bc8 7.Bg1 Bxd4 8.Bxd4 Rxf7 9.Qg6 Rxf4 10.b3 (0:27:52) 1262857kN
[+0.87] d=19 1.f4 Nc4 2.Qd3 Nc5 3.Nxc5 Bxc5 4.g6 O–O 5.gxf7 Kh8 6.e5 Bc8 7.Bg1 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Qc7 9.b3 Na3 10.Rh2 a5 11.f5 Qxf7 12.fxe6 Bxe6 13.Bxe6 Qxe6 14.Qxd5 Qxd5 15.Rxd5 Rf1 16.Rd1 (0:25:59) 1187206kN
[+0.94] d=19 1.f4 Nc4 2.Qd3 Qc7 3.g6 dxe4 4.gxf7 Ke7 5.Qe2 Bd5 6.f5 Nxe3 7.Qxe3 e5 8.Ne6 Qc6 9.Nc7 Qxc7 10.Rxd5 Kxf7 11.Qb3 (0:21:43) 994068kN
[+0.79] d=19 1.f4 Nc4 2.Qd3 Qa5 3.exd5 Bxd5 4.Bxe6 fxe6 5.Qg6 (0:18:35) 870846kN
[+0.53] d=19 1.gxh6 Nc4 2.Qe2 Nxe3 3.Qxe3 g6 4.exd5 Qf6 5.f4 Bxh6 6.Ne2 Qe5 7.Qxe5 Nxe5 8.Bg2 Rc8 9.h5 Nc4 10.d6 Nxd6 11.Bxb7 Nxb7 12.hxg6 fxg6 13.Rhg1 Rg8 14.Rg3 Rc7 15.Kb1 Kf7 (0:08:32) 374075kN
[+0.67] d=18 1.gxh6 gxh6 2.Qe2 Qa5 3.exd5 Bxd5 4.b3 Rg8 5.Rhe1 Rg3 6.Bg2 Rc8 7.Bf4 Rg8 8.Kb1 Nc4 9.Ka1 Na3 10.Qf2 Nc5 11.Nb2 Bg7 (0:01:33) 63743kN
[+0.67] d=17 1.gxh6 gxh6 2.Qe2 Qa5 3.exd5 Bxd5 4.b3 Rg8 5.Rhe1 Rg3 6.Bg2 Rc8 7.Bf4 Rg8 8.Kb1 Nc4 9.Ka1 Na3 10.Qf2 Nc5 11.Nb2 Bg7 (0:01:15) 49795kN
[+0.59] d=16 1.gxh6 gxh6 2.Qe2 Qa5 3.exd5 Bxd5 4.b3 Rg8 5.Rhe1 Rg3 6.Bg2 Qc7 7.Qf2 Rg8 8.Kb1 O–O–O (0:00:47) 31120kN
[+0.58] d=15 1.gxh6 gxh6 2.Qe2 Qa5 3.exd5 Bxd5 4.b3 Nc5 5.Bf2 Ned7 6.Nxc5 Nxc5 7.Kb1 Rg8 8.Rhg1 Rxg1 9.Rxg1 O–O–O 10.Qe3 Kb7 11.Be1 Ka8 12.Bd2 Qb6 13.c4 bxc3 14.Bxc3 Qc7 15.Bf1 (0:00:27) 18973kN
[+0.48] d=14 1.gxh6 gxh6 2.Qe2 Qa5 3.exd5 Bxd5 4.b3 Nc5 5.Bf2 Ned7 6.Nxc5 Nxc5 7.Kb1 Rg8 8.Rhg1 Rxg1 9.Rxg1 Qa3 10.Qe5 Rd8 11.Bg4 Na4 12.Ne2 Rc8 13.Bd4 a5 14.Qxd5 (0:00:17) 11573kN
[+0.43] d=13 1.gxh6 gxh6 2.Qe2 Qa5 3.exd5 Bxd5 4.b3 Rg8 5.Kb1 Nc5 6.Nxc5 Bxc5 7.Bg2 Qb6 8.Nf5 f6 9.Bxh6 Qb5 10.Rhe1 Qxe2 11.Rxe2 O–O–O 12.Nd4 (0:00:14) 9695kN
[+0.37] d=12 1.Qg2 Qa5 2.g6 Nxg6 3.Nxe6 Nde5 4.Nxf8 Kxf8 5.b3 dxe4 6.fxe4 Nxh4 7.Qg3 Nhf3 8.Bf5 Bc6 9.Bb6 Qb5 10.Rhf1 g6 11.Bg4 (0:00:05) 3416kN
[+0.41] d=12 1.Qg2 g6 2.h5 hxg5 3.hxg6 Nxg6 4.Bxe6 Rxh1 5.Qxh1 fxe6 6.Nxe6 (0:00:04) 2856kN
[+0.29] d=11 1.Qg2 g6 2.h5 hxg5 3.Bxg5 Qa5 4.hxg6 Nxg6 5.b3 dxe4 6.Nxe6 fxe6 7.Bxe6 Bc6 8.Rxh8 Nxh8 9.Qd2 Ne5 (0:00:02) 1447kN
[+0.20] d=10 1.Qg2 hxg5 2.hxg5 dxe4 3.g6 exf3 4.gxf7 Nxf7 5.Qg6 Qf6 6.Qxf6 gxf6 7.Nxe6 Bd6 8.Ng7 Kf8 9.Nf5 Bc6 10.Nxd6 Bxa4 11.Nf5 Rc8 (0:00:01) 903kN
[+0.19] d=10 1.Qg2 Qa5 2.b3 hxg5 3.hxg5 dxe4 4.g6 exf3 5.gxf7 Nxf7 6.Qg6 Qe5 7.Qxe6 Qxe6 8.Nxe6 Ke7 9.Nxg7 Nfe5 10.Ne6 (0:00:01) 650kN
[+0.07] d=9 1.Qg2 Qa5 2.b3 hxg5 3.hxg5 Nc5 4.Nxc5 Qxc5 5.g6 Nxg6 6.Bxe6 Qc3 (0:00:00) 383kN

[yanquis1972]

i still really think this is a position where white is essentially won & there are multiple move choices available...i may run critter in mpv mode overnight to see what it comes up with.

[yanquis1972]

the main idea seems to be whether b3 is too slow or not. i doubt that it is. in most of these kind of sicilian positions white just has a massive advantage imo. a solid najdorf is really the only option for black. if white pushes pawns, develops & castles, as here, it's game over for black. the dragon has been theoretically dead since the 70s imo. blacks sole threat here is an advanced b pawn with the king stuck in the center. its up to white to find the resources to take advantage of that & i doubt f4 is the only one.

[tano-urayoan]

in most of these kind of sicilian positions white just has a massive advantage imo. a solid najdorf is really the only option for black. if white pushes pawns, develops & castles, as here, it's game over for black. the dragon has been theoretically dead since the 70s imo. blacks sole threat here is an advanced b pawn with the king stuck in the center. its up to white to find the resources to take advantage of that & i doubt f4 is the only one.

Really? you should sell all your analysis to GM's it will revolutionize chess.

[Stephen Ham]

the main idea seems to be whether b3 is too slow or not. i doubt that it is. in most of these kind of sicilian positions white just has a massive advantage imo. a solid najdorf is really the only option for black. if white pushes pawns, develops & castles, as here, it's game over for black. the dragon has been theoretically dead since the 70s imo. blacks sole threat here is an advanced b pawn with the king stuck in the center. its up to white to find the resources to take advantage of that & i doubt f4 is the only one.

John,

I'm posting only to dispute your claim that the Dragon Sicilian "has been theoretically dead since the 1970s". Nonsense!

I'm an ICCF-Grandmaster who has exclusively played the Dragon Sicilian ever since the 1970s. I'm as well prepared in Dragon opening theory as anybody, if not more so, and can thus tell you that the Dragon seems to equalize in all lines.

I have seven Dragon games going at present versus fellow GMs and have zero inferior positions.

Steve

[yanquis1972]

hi stephen --

i read your pieces about your games vs fritz 6 and nimzo 8 some time ago & they were very impressive & a brave undertaking. i believe you brought out the dragon in at least one of those games, possibly more, & may've been punished for it even then...i believe the yugoslav gives white a massive advantage & if you'd like to play a casual correspondence game in that line i would be happy to be proven wrong. i see the dragon as a weapon to be brought out against inferior opposition or as a surprise & nothing more....i genuinely believe it loses. realize this is a tangent from the thread but i think the sicilian has become overrated amongst non super GM players. even in a hyper-advanced correspondence game on the rybka forum, we saw it lose to the wing gambit...it's risky for black, & the dragon specifcally is suicide against ultraprecise play. but you seem to be getting away with it, & i'd love for you to demonstrate why.

[yanquis1972]

in most of these kind of sicilian positions white just has a massive advantage imo. a solid najdorf is really the only option for black. if white pushes pawns, develops & castles, as here, it's game over for black. the dragon has been theoretically dead since the 70s imo. blacks sole threat here is an advanced b pawn with the king stuck in the center. its up to white to find the resources to take advantage of that & i doubt f4 is the only one.

Really? you should sell all your analysis to GM's it will revolutionize chess.

no, it won't. it's my belief it's well known among GMs.

[Dann Corbit]

Dann note in the game f4 is played at move 18.

And from there on in, it was played improperly.

Solovjov,S - Pavlov,A, Petroff Mem Open 2000
[D] r2qkb1r/1b1n1pp1/p3p2p/3pn1P1/Np1NP2P/4BP1B/PPPQ4/2KR3R w kq - 0 1

Deep Rybka 4 SSE42 x64:

17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Qf2 Rc8 19.b3 Be7 20.Kb1 h5 21.Rhg1 0-0 22.f4 Ng4 23.Bxg4 hxg4 24.Rxg4 Be4 25.Ka1 Nc5
= (0.20) Depth: 12 00:00:01 763kN
17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Qf2 Rc8 19.b3 Be7 20.Kb1 h5 21.Rhg1 0-0 22.f4 Ng4 23.Bxg4 hxg4 24.Rxg4 Be4 25.h5 Qc7 26.g6
= (0.23) Depth: 13 00:00:02 1738kN
17.exd5 Bxd5 18.gxh6 gxh6 19.Qe2 Qa5 20.b3 Rc8 21.Bf4 Bg7 22.Rhg1 Bf6 23.Kb1 Nc4 24.Bc1 Nc5 25.Nxc5 Rxc5 26.Qh2 Be5 27.f4
= (0.22) Depth: 14 00:00:06 4787kN
17.Kb1 Rc8 18.Qe2 Qa5 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.b3 Be7 21.gxh6 gxh6 22.Bf4 Qc7 23.Rhe1 Bf6 24.Bg2 a5 25.Qf2
+/= (0.27) Depth: 14 00:00:13 10527kN
17.Qf2 dxe4 18.g6 Nxg6 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Bxe6 Bc6 21.Nb6 Nge5 22.Nxa8 Qxa8
+/= (0.35 ++) Depth: 14 00:00:14 10620kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 g6 19.gxh6 dxe4 20.fxe4 Rc8 21.Kb1 Bxe4 22.Rhe1 Bd5 23.Qd2 Qc7 24.Bf1
+/= (0.50 ++) Depth: 14 00:00:18 13576kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.f4 Nc4 21.Kb1 Na3+ 22.Kb2 g6 23.e5 Nc4+ 24.Kb1 Kb8 25.Bc1 Be7 26.Bg2 Rc8 27.Rxh8 Rxh8 28.bxc4 Qxa4 29.cxd5 exd5 30.e6 fxe6
+/= (0.43) Depth: 14 00:00:21 15981kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.f4 Nc4 21.Kb1 Na3+ 22.Kb2 g6 23.e5 Nc4+ 24.Kb1 Kb8 25.Bc1 Be7 26.Bg2 Rc8 27.Rxh8 Rxh8 28.bxc4 Qxa4 29.cxd5 exd5 30.e6 fxe6
+/= (0.54) Depth: 15 00:00:25 19034kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.f4 Nc4 21.e5 Kb8 22.g6 Nc5 23.gxf7 Nxa4 24.bxa4 Qxa4 25.Kb1 Rxh3 26.Rxh3[] Qa3 27.c3 bxc3 28.Rd3 Qa5 29.Nxe6 Nxe3 30.Nxf8 Qb4+ 31.Ka1 Ng4 32.Qg2
+/= (0.65) Depth: 16 00:00:44 33532kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.f4 Nc4 21.e5 Kb8 22.g6 Nc5 23.gxf7 Nxa4 24.bxa4 Qxa4 25.Kb1 Rxh3 26.Rxh3[] Qa3 27.c3 bxc3 28.Rd3 Qa5 29.Nxe6 Nxe3 30.Nxf8 Qb4+ 31.Ka1 Ng4 32.Qg2
+/= (0.65) Depth: 17 00:00:52 39088kN
17.Qf2 Qa5 18.b3 hxg5 19.hxg5 0-0-0 20.Qg1 g6 21.exd5 Bxd5 22.Bxe6 Rxh1 23.Bxd7+ Nxd7 24.Qxh1 Kb7 25.Kb1 Nc5 26.Nxc5+ Bxc5 27.Qh3 Qc7 28.Qg4 Be6 29.Qg1 Bxd4 30.Bxd4 Rc8 31.Qf2
+/= (0.62) Depth: 18 00:01:24 66949kN
17.gxh6 Nc4 18.Qe2 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Qf6 20.exd5 g6 21.f4 Bxh6 22.Ne2 Qe5 23.Qxe5 Nxe5 24.Bg2 Rc8 25.Nb6 Rd8 26.h5 Rd6 27.Kb1 Ng4 28.Nc4 Rxd5
+/= (0.66) Depth: 18 00:03:28 176mN
17.b3 dxe4 18.f4
+/- (0.77 ++) Depth: 18 00:03:43 188mN
17.b3 dxe4 18.f4
+/- (0.92 ++) Depth: 18 00:04:02 200mN
17.b3 Qa5 18.gxh6 dxe4 19.Rhg1 gxh6 20.Nxe6[] fxe6 21.f4[] Bd5 22.fxe5[] Rc8 23.Qe2 Qc7 24.Qh5+ Ke7 25.Rd2
+/- (1.29) Depth: 18 00:07:45 371mN
17.b3 Qa5 18.gxh6 dxe4 19.Rhg1 gxh6 20.Nxe6[] fxe6 21.f4[] Bd5 22.fxe5[] Rc8 23.Qe2 Qc7 24.Qh5+ Ke7 25.Rd2
+- (1.41 ++) Depth: 19 00:10:45 505mN
17.b3 h5 18.f4 Ng4 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Rhe1 Qc7 21.Bg2 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 0-0-0 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Kb1 Nb6 25.Nxb6+ Qxb6 26.Nf5 Bc5 27.Re5 g6 28.Ne7+ Kb7 29.Nxd5 Qc6 30.Qd3 Rhe8 31.Rxe8 Qxe8 32.f5
+/- (1.40) Depth: 19 00:15:14 694mN
17.b3 h5 18.f4 Ng4 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Rhe1 Qc7 21.Bg2 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 0-0-0 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Kb1 Nb6 25.Nxb6+ Qxb6 26.Nf5 Bc5 27.Re5 g6 28.Ne7+ Kb7 29.Nxd5 Qc6 30.Qd3 Rhe8 31.Rxe8 Qxe8 32.f5
+/- (1.40) Depth: 20 00:16:22 744mN
17.b3 h5 18.f4 Ng4 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Rhe1 Qc7 21.Bg2 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 0-0-0 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Kb1 Nb6 25.Nxb6+ Qxb6 26.Nf5 Bc5 27.Re5 g6 28.Ne7+ Kb7 29.Nxd5 Qc6 30.Qd3 Rhe8 31.Rxe8 Qxe8 32.f5
+/- (1.40) Depth: 21 00:18:15 832mN
17.b3 h5 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Bg2
+- (1.52 ++) Depth: 22 00:26:23 1179mN
17.b3 h5 18.exd5 Bxd5 19.Bg2
+- (1.67 ++) Depth: 22 00:48:21 2140mN


[Event "Petroff Mem Open"]
[Site "St Petersburg RUS"]
[Date "2000.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Solovjov, S."]
[Black "Pavlov, Al"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2449"]
[BlackElo "2311"]
[PlyCount "108"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bc1 Nf6 8. f3
e6 9. Be3 b5 10. Qd2 Bb7 11. O-O-O Nbd7 12. g4 h6 13. h4 b4 14. Na4 d5 15. Bh3
Ne5 16. g5 Nfd7 17. g6 Nxg6 18. f4 Qa5 19. b3 Nf6 20. exd5 Bxd5 21. f5 Nxh4 22.
fxe6 Be7 23. Qf2 g5 24. Nf5 Nxf5 25. Qxf5 Rc8 26. Rhf1 Rc6 27. Bd4 Qc7 28. Bxf6
Bxe6 29. Qe4 Bxh3 30. Bxe7 Re6 31. Qa8+ Kxe7 32. Rxf7+ Kxf7 33. Qxh8 Bf5 34. c4
Qf4+ 35. Kb2 Re2+ 36. Ka1 Qf2 37. Nb2 Re1 38. Qd8 Rxd1+ 39. Qxd1 Qc2 40. Qd5+
Kg6 41. Qc6+ Kh5 42. Qh1+ Kg4 43. Qg1+ Kf3 44. Qh1+ Kf4 45. Qf1+ Ke5 46. Qe1+
Kf6 47. Qh1 h5 48. Qc6+ Ke5 49. Qd5+ Kf4 50. Qd4+ Kf3 51. Qg1 g4 52. c5 g3 53.
c6 Qb1+ 54. Qxb1 Bxb1 0-1

It appears that b3 may be a viable alternative.
I still suspect that f4 is better.