TL Chess Match 4 - Page 75

It still gives Black a positional advantage imo, though.

The line I am thinking is not 11.a3 Nxd2 12.Bxd2, but 11.a3 N(B)xd2 12.Nxd2 N(B)xd2 13.Bxd2 and after that black can Rxb2 or defend his pawn. Yes we have equal pawns and we did not castled yet, but if he defends his pawn we can castle if need be and if not we can take it for equal pawns. I know that 11.Qxc6+ gains (at least in short term) a pawn, I just do not like where it leads after that, that is why I am trying to explore a3.

That is what I am not so sure about.
After Rxb2 we can Qxc6+, Qd7 Qc3(1) he has to go away with the rook and we can castle and are in reasonably good position I feel. After Qxc6+ Bd7 it is more open but Qxd5 seems possible although I did not check all his possibilities in that scenario and some seem threatening, but ut still seems ok.
If instead of Rxb2 he plays something to save one of his pawns there are many possibilities, but the position seems ok for us on the first glance.

Rxb2 Qxc6+ Qd7 Qc3 Qb5

Ok, the rook stays I would see it like Qc3 Qb5 a4
a) Qb6-8 0-0
b) Qb3 Qc6+ and it becomes interesting ?

12. Qxd7 Bxd7 (I guess black can play Kxd7 which might be better since there isn't really a need to castle anymore), then if

13. a3 Bxd2 14. Nxd2 Nxd2 15. Kxd2 I think we can hold our pawn and it isn't as bad for our Bishop as it looks (16. Kc3/c2). The only issue here is that we have to be very careful how we trade as opposite colored Bishop's tend to negate extra pawns .

13. 0-0 is interesting as it forces black's knight to react or give himself a pawn that's incredibly weak. It does have a line that returns the pawn but it doesn't look the best for black: 13...Nxd2 14. Nxd2 Bxd2 15. Bxd2 then

15...Rxb2 16. Rab1 Rxb1 (not Rxd2? 17. Rb8+) 17. Rxb1 looks good for white.

15...0-0 16. b3 Rb5 (to break center pawn) 17. Rac1 Rc8 18. b4 looks good for white.

15...Bb5 16. Rfc1 c6 (if he plays a passive move like Rc8, move f pawn and then king toward center) 17. Bb4 Bc4 18. Ba3 looks good for white (white will get tempo back since black needs to use a turn to move the king)

There is also Ke7 which looks decent for black, but he is a pawn down and I white will have an advantage, (a bit too tired to analysis it).

12. Qc2 (white's only other non losing move) Ba6 13. oh god this looks bad for white I'm gonna just go with Qxd7 for our next move.

All the lines relevant to this move have been discussed and I am convinced we want to avoid 12. Qc2 Ba6. We should spend the time for this move trying to figure out our 13th move after the likely 12...Bxd7, keeping in mind the fact that black might conceivably play 12...Kxd7.

I have analyzed this move, and I see nothing wrong with it.
We keep all our pieces, go a pawn up, and are in a good position to still be able to castle on our king's side. What's not to love?

After 12...Ba6 we will never castle kingside. Now maybe you think we will still be OK but don't say we can castle kingside.

And, if you think we will be OK without kingside castling, please point out how you plan to respond to black's threats of Qb5 and Qg4 as discussed by jd/qrs above.