TL Chess Match - Page 20

9.. Bc6 10. d5!

Have to prevent a5 in this case and knight probably reroutes to a5 to hit c4 given this opportunity.

Which will probably be replied with by Nd2, and then Na5, Bxb7and Nxb7, and clearly, we are looking good here.

9.. Nc6 10. d5!

Nc6, d5, exd, cxd ne7, and c6 is just fine,

nc6 or nd7

If someone could explain to me... why not Nd7 here? Nc6 blocks off the bishop, right?

If it was any other move we could use Nbd7 and push e5. That approach looks better. White really doesn't have much play on those lines. With a5, the timing is different since with a5 white threatens to open up the queenside.

Black should immediately stop white a5. But we still want to protect the b6 pawn with a7 since black c5 might still be necessary. In this case, the knight comes out to take control of a5. A5 is also a logical spot for the knight, hitting the c4 pawn with the possibility of going to b3 as well. We may have to give up some time trading the light squared bishops, but the play is solid.

Also to note in this position, the white d pawn does not have a very strong threat to exchange with any other pawns. If white exchanges by capturing with the d pawn, white is left with isolated double pawns on the C file and will need a lot of compensation for that.

a) 10.Nd2 Na5 11. Bxb7 Nxb7 and now
a1) Nb3 Qd7 (though without going too deeply, d5 and c5 both look very playable, and offer better winning chances) 13. Qd3 d5 and Black has a significant positional edge imo
a2) e4 Nd7 (Na5 with the idea of immediately pressuring c4 looks playable as well, Black will attempt to play heavily on the dark squares on this line with both e5 and c5 and no exchanges, strengthed by moves like Re8.) 13. f4 f5 and Black has a slightly better middle game leading into an endgame.
a3) Ba3 Re8 13. Nb3 Qd7 And I think white has very little in the position. Black can just move his rooks to the e-file, infiltrate his queen onto the queenside to the c6 square so as to attack the c4 pawn, coupled with Na5 as necessary, then just do the usual dark square play with c5 and e5. Great line for black IMO.

b) 10. c5 Na5 11. Bf4 Qd7 and White looks silly

c) 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nd2 Na5 and it more or less becomes line a) in some fashion, albeit with White giving up his bishop pair for no reasons, other than forcing the move h6...good line for black I would think, especially as white's play for any advantage is certainly over.

d) 10. Ba3 Na5 11. c5 Ne4 12. cxd6 cxd6 13. Qd3 Rc8 and the game looks even. I feel this is white's best play for an advantage from this position, as it keeps as many pieces on the board as possible, while making the most of white's most important piece - his unopposed dark square bishop. This line should be, overall, drawish, but complex with a slight pull for white.