Another Troy

One of the sharpest lines in the Ruy Lopez (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 f5) is widely attributed to Wilhelm Karl Adolf Schliemann (1817-1872), said to be a relative of the Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890) who discovered the site of Troy. Now it appears that the variation should in fact be attributed to Carl Jaenisch (1813-1872) since W.K.A.S. in fact advocated something rather different, namely 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Bc5 4 c3 f5. However as Junior Tay, author of the new book The Schliemann: Move by Move (Everyman Chess) points out, the name of Schliemann has stuck and it would take a lot of literary hard labour to undo the misattribution.
 
This week, a game and puzzle from the book, featuring a line which, prima facie, looks suspicious, but which in fact is remarkably vital and indeed viable.
 
Warman-Gareev: London 2016; Ruy Lopez
 
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 f5 4 d3 fxe4 5 dxe4 Nf6 6 0-0 Bc5 7 Nc3 d6 8 Bg5 0-0 9 Nd5 Kh8 10 c3 Denying Black the use of the d4-square and preparing to advance the b- and a-pawns to harass the c5-bishop. 10 … Ne7 11 Nxf6 gxf6 12 Bh6 Removing Black’s strong bishop with 12 Be3 Bxe3 13 fxe3 is a logical alternative. 12 … Rg8 This position is fine for Black who gets to hack on the g-file and can occasionally play for the … d6-d5 or … f6-f5 break too. 13 b4 Bb6 14 Bc4 Rg4 15 Qd3 This move, defending the e4-pawn and connecting the rooks, is actually a mistake. White should have played 15 h3 Rg6 (15 … Rxe4 16 Bd5 Re2 17 Qxe2 Nxd5 offers Black reasonable compensation too) 16 Bd2 with unclear play. 15 … Qe8 16 h3 (see diagram 1) 16 … Rg6 The spectacular 16 … Rxg2+! 17 Kxg2 Qg6+ 18 Bg5 (or 18 Kh2 Qxh6 19 Ng1 f5) 18 … fxg5 19 Kh2 Qf6 gives Black very good play, but presumably Gareev didn’t see any need to sacrifice at this stage.