9. O-O is certainly a solid move. The question here is, do we have better? I think we might....

9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Qa4. I didn't see this move in my last analysis, but it looks strong. Here we are forking the c6 pawn, and the bishop at b4. Let's look at black's options...

10. ...Rb8 defending the bishop. (10. ... a5 would lose the rook or the d-pawn after Qxc6+.) Here, we have the option of taking a free pawn. 11. Qxc6+. Black can't interpose the bishop, because he would then lose his d-pawn. So 11. ... Qd7 12. Qxd7 Bxd7 13. a3, and we are safely up a pawn with queens off the board.

-OR-

10. ... Bxd2. Here we retake with the knight in order to attack the black knight on e4. Black shouldn't allow us to capture his knight next move, and he doesn't have a good escape square. 11. Nxd2 Nxd2 12. Bxd2, and here, there isn't much black can do to prevent us from dominating the dark squares, and making his doubled c-pawns a liability. For example, placing the queen on c2 or the bishop of the a3-f8 diagonal, and his doubled pawns will be stuck in place, and his a-pawn is weak and isolated.

I'm casting my vote for 9. Bxc6+.

I vote 10. Qa4

Bill Murray

United States9292 Posts

September 17 2011 07:16 GMT

#1284

yeah i ran these lines already
definitely QA4
10. Qa4
we will end up winning a pawn or position with this
it directly threatens his bishop safely
he will retreat it as opposed to taking our knight, but we will win on his doubled pawns with this

hp.Shell

United States2527 Posts

September 17 2011 07:21 GMT

#1285

I vote Qa4. + Show Spoiler +

This takes advantage of our last move and still allows us to castle O-O on the next move if there isn't anything better to do. It is great to move the queen here because it puts pressure on c6 and b4, and if 10. Qa4 Nxf2 11. Qxc6+, then black's queen is in a bad spot and we also win the rook.

10. Qa4
[...O-O 11. Qxb4]

[...Ba5 11. Qxa5]
[...Be7 11. good for white]
[...Bxd2 11. Bxd2 Nxd2 12. Nxd2 O-O 13. O-O]

Qa4 is absolutely great because it reinforces d4 and allows us to use our knight on f3 to defend d2 if necessary. Either way, we win a pawn (c6) with Qa4 so it sounds like the best move to me. (If 10. Qa4 Bd7, 11. Qxb4)

Right now we're losing in terms of positioning, but we begin the eventual win with Qa4 on this move.

shackes

Germany148 Posts

September 17 2011 07:55 GMT

#1286

10. Qa4

Pretty straight forward after our last move..

Ng5

702 Posts

September 17 2011 08:04 GMT

#1287

hp.Shell wrote:
[...Be7 11. good for white]

a, Spoilers, please.
b, Nevermind.

Raysalis

Malaysia1034 Posts

September 17 2011 08:22 GMT

#1288

10. Qa4
+ Show Spoiler +

For this move, I agree with jdseemoreglass analysis that white has a good advantage. The alternative 10. O-O also looks good but Qa4 is more forcing and gives Ng5 less chance to wiggle.

jdseemoreglass lines:
10. ...Rb8 11. Qxc6+ Qd7 12. Qxd7 Bxd7 13. a3 This is probably blacks best try. He gives up a pawn but have the 2 bishops with some drawing chances. White is still a lot better (i think)
10. ... Bxd2 11. Nxd2 Nxd2 12. Bxd2 Although black can keep the pawn here for a while and it looks like there is opposite colour bishops of the board, this is very good for white since opposite colour bishop favour the attacker. White plans of Bb4 and Rc1 looks really good.

some other tactical lines:
10. ... Bxd2 11. Nxd2 if black just go Bd7 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Qc2! wins the pawn
10.... Be7 retreating the bishop, white has the shot 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Qxc6+ then Qxe4