TL Chess match II - Page 16

second off, if he plays f4, we simple take his knight, threatening his queen. He has to take back. Then we just move our bishop back and we're in a great position. So there is absolutely nothing wrong with castling here.

This is not entirely true. After f4 Nxc6, black does not have to take back, because fxe3 captures a pawn and attacks white's queen. After white responds, bxc6 and black has just won a piece.

He said after castling. The queen isn't on d2 after castling. Also lightman is bluffing about some devastating attack ^^ exf5 or nxc6 were stronger.

A)

9. f3 fxe4

a1)
10. fxe4 Qb6 : attacking both the Knight on d4 and the pawn on b2
11. Ncb5 : only way to block both threats (The d4 knight can't move because the f pawn that was protecting the e3 bishop is gone)
11. ... Nxd4
12. Bxd4 Nxd4
13. Nxd4 Qxb2 and white has lost a pawn.

a2)
10. Nxe4 Nf5 : centralizes the knight and attacks d4 yet again.
11. Nxf5 : The f5 knight is too powerful. The only pawn that can kick it out is g pawn, which would leave white's kingside weak.
11. ... Rxf5 : and white has lost some central control. The g7 bishop will be a pain to deal with, and black's game is fine, if not good.
12. Qd2 Qa5 (Qc2 Qa5+ gives forces white to pull back one of his minor pieces, and gives Black free tempi)
13. Qxa5 Nxa5 and white's attacking potential has fizzled out. The b2 pawn is under attack, so ugly defending moves like Bc1 or Rb1 come to mind. 0-0-0 protects the pawn and allows white to use the kingside pawns to attack black, but the g7 bishop once again is too powerful and black's game is fine.

f3 also answers the threat of 9. ... f4 because white does not have to take the pawn on f4, but can retreat to f2. If this happens, then the Knight looks useless on h6 and will most likely move to e5 via f7 in order to give it some activity.

B)

9. Qd2.

Qd2 has been discussed already, and it seems like black's best response is f4. In the previous line I analyzed, f4 is ok for white because after Bxh6, black's king is stuck in the center and white has good compensation for his returned pawn. However, after 0-0, black's king is safe and he has the f file immediately for his use. So Qd2 is probably a mistake now.

C)

If it were black's turn, f4 would be good for him. 0-0 does not change this.

9. 0-0 f4
10. Nxd4 Nxd4 : forced, any bishop move hangs the d4 knight.
11. bxc6 Bd4 : blocking the g7 bishop's control of the diagonal.
After this, black looks good to me, black has a strong central pawn structure, and can park his knight on the e5 square where it cannot be attacked by enemy pawns. If Qd5+ e5, black has an imposing center and white's game is cramped. White has no play for his rooks, and has a bad bishop. Black has the b file, and his mobility will allow him to dictate the game, perhaps with a kingside pawn storm after his king moves into his safe center.

If instead

9. ... Ng4, then after
10. Bxg4 fxg4
11. Qd2 and black comes out of the opening with a good bishop with nice targets on e4 and c4.

If 0-0 I think black comes out well. White will probably have to make a sacrifice to open up some lines if he wants to generate some activity.

Looking at these three lines, I think f3 counters black's threats of Ng4 and f4 most effectively. Thoughts?

I'm not sure we're on the same page here, if we castle our queen is never in danger. I can't see what could possibly threaten our queen after Nxc6.

I think that after we play Bc1 after exchanging on c6 we run into Bxc3 followed by Qa5

Um, I was thinking Bd2 in my line.

This will give f2 spot for the bishop on e3, so you dont have to worry about 9...f4. Which will deny the forced exchange of knights at "c6". g4 sqware will not be offered for the black knight on h6, so the knight will be almost blocked. in my opinion Black is in bad position after f2-f3 , his knight on h6 will be misplaced, his bishop on c8 is bloced, and his other bishop can't really leave a1-h8 diagonal, so White would prob. get large lead through the midgame.

If 9. Qd2 then 9... Ng4 and exchange the knight for one of white's bishops (since Bg5 look really stupid for me). Wich is good for black since the knight is in bad placement on h6

really hope someone read this

After Nxc6, Black does not have to take back the knight. He can play fxe3 instead (there is a bishop on e3). There is also a Q on d2 in this scenario, so the pawn would be attacking it. After the queen moves, bxc6 and we're down a piece.

Seems like black is behind on development. Perhaps we can open up the position with exf5 even now to exploit the difference and force black to defend. O-O is more solid play.

9. f3 looks weak cause of 9..fxe4 10. Nxc6 dxc6 11 Qxd8 Rxd8 12 fxe4 Ng4, black w edge

10 Bxf4 Bxd4 11 Bxh6