TL Chess Match - Page 25

we've been eying that move for long, and this seems the most opportune time for it. e5 is tempting, but at this point we can limit his offensive options while retaining a beautiful position.

Thing is, in that variation, why would Black exchange cxd4? Much better to let white dxc5 and then recapture, which causes a block to his doubled c pawns and the Bb2 bishop.

15. dxc5 Qxc5 16. cxd5 Nxd5 17. Ne4 Qc4 18. Ng5 g6 19. Ne4 f5 20. Nd6 Qxc3 21. Qxc3 Nxc3 22. Bh6 Rfd8 and black has a clearly dominant position;

the line might not play out exactly like that, but seriously, WTF is white supposed to do?

what about 15. Ba3 Rd8 16 dxc5

I think we ought to play slowly
14. ... h6
14. ... Re8
14. ... Qa6
all work for me

15...dxc4 16. dxc5 Rd8 17. cxb6 axb6 18. e4 Qc7 19. Rfd1 Rd3 20. Bb4 Nb7 and black is winning.

Black also has 15...Nxc4 16. Nxc4 dxc4 17. dxc5 Nd5 18. Kf2 with equality

as for 15. Ba3 Rd8 16. dxc5 isn't black alright after 16...dxc4 17. e4 Rd3?

d5 is just bad
15. Ba3 dxc4 16. dxc5 Rd8 17. e4 and i fail to see Black's advantage anymore

ahhh that looks a stronger response for black. Nice one
15...dxc4 16. dxc5 Rd8
but here white should play 17. e4
with 17. ... bxc5 18. Rb5 response to the pawn grab.

It looks very complicated and now black has to defend a6 - probably with Qc6. It's not clear to me that we (black) have an advantage then.

Ahhh it's the same as the other line except with 17. ... Rd3
15. Ba3 Rd8 16. dxc5 dxc4 17. e4 Rd3 --
then
-- 18. Bb4 Qa6 19 Bxa5 Qxa5 20 cxb6
after that it could go two ways
20. ... Rxc3 21 b7 Rb8
or
20. ... axb6 21 Rb4

I would have to say that the position slightly favors white since black's knight is positioned away on the the kingside. I guess what I am saying is that I expect any line that we play to keep the advantage that we current have and not bring it to equality.

15...dxc4 16. dxc5 Rd8 17. cxb6 axb6 18. Rxb6 and white is up a pawn and winning.

Can't take. Look at Nd5. There's a reason for playing e4 first.

Duh. Was trying to find a way to exploit Nd5 - Nf4 vulnerability. Guess I didn't manage to connect the dots here.