TL Chess Match 4 - Page 79

In this variation, which I expected, the light-squared bishop won't be able to defend b3, or to check our king on c2 immediately, so the threat of Rb3 is not possible anymore. For this reason, we should not be afraid at all to play a3 here.

By playing a3, we are immediately putting the question to the bishop: trade or retreat. This will alleviate the uncomfortable pin on our knight. We shouldn't fear further simplification here; in fact, we should encourage it, because we are a pawn up. The more we trade down, the greater our pawn advantage becomes, and the easier it is to defend our pawn advantage. I highly doubt that black will be willing to trade his good bishop for a knight here, so he will likely retreat.

Playing a3 also prepares us for the natural move, b4, which opens another line for our bishop and clamps down further on the dark squares, particularly the critical square c5, preventing black from undermining our center, and leaving him with a backwards pawn and giving us a potential knight outpost on c5.

I don't see any drawbacks to this move. Black can't play Rb3 at all now, because we will simply play Qc2 and force the retreat.

13. a3 Bxd2+ 14.Nxd2 Nxd2 15.Kxd2 Ba6 16.b4
If 15...a5 16.Kc2 followed by Be3 and Rac1

13...Lb4xd2, 14.Sf3xd2 Se4xd2 15.Ke1xd2 La6 16. b4 is the line I am looking at. That doesn't look to shabby, but also pretty hard to turn our extra pawn into a winning position.

If we play 13. Rb1 La6 and 14.a3, we have to deal with 14...Lb4xd2, 15.Sf3xd2 Se4xd2 16.Ke1xd2 Rb3, which does not look comfortable at all (if we play 16.Lc1xd2 he answers with Ld3 and we simply lose our b-pawn).

So I realize that basically before Rb3 completely cramps white's position, and white couldn't simply chase the rook away because of Ba3. Now this isn't the case.

Alot of my reason were already pointed out by Jdseemoreglass. Black will most likely not trade in this position. Being down a pawn and going for an even trade that offer little position gain cept the possibility of Rb3, which doesnt really do much, he will most likely not go for it.

This move will also lead to the possibility of finally being able to castle or developing the bishop and allowing that other rook as well to engage. There isnt really any other logical choices that will dictate the pace of this game.

The only draw back is that even if the bishop retreats, it will be able to hold the b6 position and hold a strong attack on the center d4 pawn and f2 pawn if it does not trade. Which also support my hypothesis that black will not agreed to the trade.

If he does trade, that mean he will most likely understand that his position is bad and will want to create a more open game to allow more possibility of mistake.

We obviously give up a free pawn in the trade and will lose our pawn advantage and enter the late game. Rather uncomfortable position if we throw our key advantage.

13)... Be7 - this move no one has looked at yet. The reason is that it's a positional play, which is Ng5's style. The line follows: 14) b4 Bc6 15) Nxe4 d5xe4 16) Nd2 Bd3 17) Nb3 . I think Black would get a very strong position and be able to nullify our pawn advantage.

Our pawn advantage is nullified by Ng5's superior position, I rather give back our tiny lead for better movements around the board. Afterall after 13) ...Nxd2 14) Nxd2 Bxd2 15) Bxd2 16) Ba5 we get a much better line of attack and open up the game quite a lot and wrestle back a superior positioning.

simply because we already got outstanding position. We got a strong grip on the center already so our position good. We should just keep our lead and play it safe. I dont really see the danger of 13. Be7. There not much the bishop can do from this position and if he moves it here, we are free to be able to castle afterward. Either way he will have to give up his pinned on the knight or exchange trade.

Even if we can get the knight to that c5, it cant really hold it because of the knight that also controlling the center so I dont think controlling this square matters at this point.