TL Chess Match 4 - Page 46

Putting pressure on the c5 Bishop while also developing more presence in the center.

it is juts my general intuition that qe2 is more natural , however to be honest I do not know the theory very well , if you have the ECO out then you have a little more information than me , I didn't think he would choose the ne4 lines to begin with , from what I remembered about these ne4 positions in the central variations of the classical lopez
from studying them years back , is they favor white slightly
. But I am sure cxd is playable , just seems to reduce to equality as long as black doesn't go for any free pawns.I kind of prefer keeping the tension myself . But as I said my theory is way out of date , just going on intuition and mild analysis

it is juts my general intuition that qe2 in the classical lopez central variation and Benelux variations ( if I remember that is the name of this line) is more natural and keeps the tension a little longer, however to be honest I do not know the theory very well , if you have the ECO out then you have a little more information than me , I didn't think he would choose the ne4 lines to begin with , from what I remembered about these positions from studying them years back , is they favor white slightly .
. But I am sure cxd is playable , just seems to reduce to equality as long as black doesn't go for any free pawns.I kind of prefer keeping the tension myself, but I suppose it comes down to style in the end . At least the lines I was seeing are mainlines hehe

7. cxd4 Nxf2
8. Kxf2 Nxd4
9. Nxd4 Qh4+
Black seems super ahead here...

I didn't really look into this variation at all, but it was the first thing that came up in my mind when I saw the board xD

Playing 9. Be3 instead of Nxd4 is the saving move here, defending against discovered check tactics, as well as Qh4+. Here we have secured our material advantage, and should simplify to a win.

imo best move in this position. Bb4 is no real threat, we can defend with Bd2 and be fine. Black has no real way to threaten our central pawn position and we will have a slight positional advantage.

7. Qe2 leads after 7..d5 8.exd6 to quite an interesting position. But I like our strong center pawns in the 7.cxd4 variante too much

imo this line(cxd4) will peter out to more or less equality , and after black establishes d5 we will be left with a weak pawn base on d4 . the advanced pawns are double edged strategically
However, we get more central space in exchange for this weakness. .This resulting position will appear somewhat like an advanced french endgame when all the pieces are gone , but it looks like the cxd's are goona have it .
I suppose playing a sharp position would be difficult to play with all these people so maybe something more passive is better . these types of endings are notoriously hard for white to win though(in an ending with a weak d4 pawn base we can get our pieces tied down to defending it , or black can eventually break our center with f6 in the distant future ) , I would have liked a chance to really make black pay for playing this line after ne4 qe2 . I kind of see this game as an odd experiment .can the stronger players steer the weaker ones ino voting playable moves usings analysis and arguments , but if people are not even going to either analyze on there own or read others analysis, and just show up bandwagon voting , it makes the entire experiment kind of pointless . The weaker players and beginners have a real opportunity to see into the psyche of strong players here (those that are providing analysis, and strong players do not always agree on moves ( as long as it isn't forced ), in any given equal position 10 grandmasters will quite often suggest 10 different moves )

I hate the position we are at right now, so messy... If we played 0-0 on move 5 we won't be in such of position. I first thought cxd is a good move, and it is I think. But later black and threat Bb4+, and we might have to move our king into the open and can't castle anymore. That knight on e4 is such a threat, I don't like our positioning at all.

imo white still has the natural advantage from moving first , or should I say natural initiative . I do not care for the position as much after cxd4 as qe2 , as I have said but it is a matter of style and what I think gives us the most winning chances against a player of NG5's strength. I would prefer keeping the tension myself , but others have provided mainline theory which I admit I am a little rusty in the central variation of the ruy lopez , not really a e4 player much anymore in tournaments . In response to chesshaha , our weak d4 point will be the greatest annoyance possibly after cxd4 (later in the game) I will have to look at 0-0 here

in short I feel more comfortable without an opponent's pawn so far up the board (should black capture it in this game). Easier to move the knight later as well.

7. 0-0 appears to me to drop a pawn, and 7. cxd4 gives a very nasty check that isn't much fun either. If we take the Knight first, we alleviate the threat and get our pawn back.