TL Chess match II - Page 20

It makes sense Bd4 is the only sensible move. As I said earlier, Bc5 would lead to ...d6, opening black's c-bishop.

...e5 by black should not be a problem, as it will greatly weaken the d7 pawn, which would make Bc5, as it was noted earlier, a powerful move. Also, given the power of Black's fianchettoed bishop, playing e5 would greatly weaken its influence, and make bringing it back into the game all up to white. Since "our" bishops are already decently placed in common positions found throughout many Sicilian variations, as well as Pirc variations, there would be little reason to move them except if we were to take a more powerful position, such as Bc5, following ...e5. Thus, ...e5 would only weaken black's plans, and have little effect on "our" overall plan.

The only negative effects would be getting the white knight back into play. However, if black were to want his g7-bishop back in play, it would end up releasing our knight in some way.

Bd2

I would say that Bd2 is inaccurate because it is too passive. The c1-h6 diagonal is not very critical given that there is a black pawn at f4 and the black knight will soon move. Our dark-squared bishop is not as good a piece as black's, so trading his off would be logical. Challenging black's g7 bishop with Bd4 is more active and trades off one of his good pieces. Bd2 makes our bishop passive while doing nothing to stop his bishop from staying active.

Playing Bd2 has multiple problems. First, it takes the bishop out of the advance, decreasing white's attack. Second, it is making e5 more of a viable move for black. This would further box in white's bishop, effectively taking it out of the game. You want you bishops outside pawn chains, and attacking as open diagonals as possible. The other options for the bishop would follow that last idea. Lastly, black's fianchettoed bishop is a key component of his position. He would not want it traded, so challenging it is best.

its forced. White trades black's best piece (its his only good one actually). This cements both weak dark and light squares in black's camp, (Black eventually has to play d6 to free high lightsquare bishop, because Ba6 sucks after b3, and then the c-pawn is a target)making a king and pawn endgame easily winning for us. The move ...e5?? fails to Bc5, and forever gives up control of the crucial d5 square, where our knight will eventually find residence. Obviously, I would want to trade light square bishops and give up our darksquare for his remaining knight, once the c-pawn is removed. Black's position is just garbage in anycase.

So after 11... Bxd4 12.Qxd4 ... What are black's next possible moves? 12... d6 to activate his last Bishop or can he delay that for something more favorable like for example e5? Since his Bishop doesn't really have anywhere to go.

e6, but after looking back that would be a bad move aswell.

against e6, I am playing Rad1 to pin you down to defending the d-file, then e5, followed by Ne4 to d6 with an overwhelming position

After 11.Bd4 11...e5 12.Bc5 12...Re8, black has much better control over the center.

Sure, it does lead to 11...d6, but it's better than what happens after 11.Bd4 because black cannot play 12...e5.

What abuot 11. Bc5 d6 12. Ba3 Bxc3 13. bxc3 Qa5 14. Bb4 Qe5? Not very convincing if you ask me. After Bd4 we can pressure the d-pawn. There should be no central pawn break forthcoming from black, or at least it should be expensive.

I think we've come to a consensus, that 11... e5 would actually hurt black more than help. It makes his d-pawn a backward pawn, makes his g-bishop less powerful, closing its relatively open a1-h8 diagonal. Basically, by moving 11 Bd4, one way or another, we are going to be closing down that g-bishop's powerful diagonal. In fact, that is often the case in games like this. I feel that we could break in quite easily if black decides to take the bishop, so if anything, I predict the game would go 11 Bd4 d6 12 Bxg7 Kxg7 13 Qd4+ Kg8, or perhaps 13... Rf6 with the intent of 14... Qf8. The only problem here would be the lines that could come from playing 14 e5, threatening the rook and, once it moves, the possible 15 e6+. The move that would counter this, off the top of my head, 14... Re6, would end up blocking black's 2nd bishop, making it have to find other means of escaping.

Basically, I think 11 Bd4 allows for the best options. Once we subdue that g7 bishop, our attack will be much more solid.

11. Bd4 e5 12. Bc5 Re8 13. Nb5! (Pawn is tied down or else Qd5+ winning the Rook). From here, White has two excellent pieces that will be hard to boot out of their positions. Nd6 is threatened from White, and the pawn on a7 is threatened, with no logical way for Black to defend it (although taking it right now isn't the best move).

Black would be better off with d6 given that line.