Game:
lichess.org/A6gsi42K/white#51I have several strategic questions (I am white in the game):
1) At move 24 why is h5 considered a good move? Stockfish really likes the h5 idea, recommending it repeatedly for move 24, 25. I don't really get it. The h5 pawn seems weak and can be targeted e.g. by Qf7, Nf6. Stockfish seems to suggest that I can put a knight on g6 via Nh4-Ng6?
2) At move 14, how do I know, strategically, that I should play exd5? According to Stockfish, exd5 is a good idea on move 14 and move 15. I see that exd5 improves the scope of my Bishop and also opens the e-file for my rook, is that the reason? I read that one should "keep the tension", doesn't exd5 "release the tension"?
Any other tips on how to improve?
Thanks.
Yes the pawn is weak and it requires a lot calculation.
h5 und Nh4 is an idea the most decent player at least think about. So why?
You should look at every piece and think about how you can improve it.
The knight has no good squares and you always have to worry where to go after e4.
g6 is a nice square for the Knight, also after Re8 there is this a royal fork on f5.
For 2), taking on d5 has pros and cons. On the negative side, your d3-pawn becomes weak and a lasting target if you don't solve that problem quickly, and taking helps black develop even more with Nxd5. On the positive side, you can now place your knight more actively on c4 (and maybe e3), you have a target on e5 to press against on the e-file, and your bishop on g2 comes to life. Also concretely speaking, here you are in time to push d3-d4 afterwards, to exchange off your main weakness and equalize.
Generally speaking, taking on d5 would not be that great, but here the main problem is that after allowing black to push d4, you were very passive and lacking any good plans, and for this specific position, exd5 followed by Re1 and d4 allows you to solve most of your problems.
For 1), here you were already significantly worse with black preparing e5-e4, and white having no counterplay to speak of so far. You were slowly getting pushed off the board. Stockfish calculates that h4-h5 at least gives you the h4-square for your knight, attacking f5 and threatening to jump into g6, and if the knight moves you also have a better control over the e4-square, making it (1) hard for black to push e4, and (2) perhaps allowing white to counter with f2-f4 in the near future, gaining space and killing black's e4-plan forever.
Note that after h5 stockfish doesn't say white is better per se (apparently equal with best play), but the alternative is waiting for black to push e4 after white is clearly worse. Pushing h5 is not a winning remedy to all your problems, but you were in danger of getting crushed without an active plan.
Sincere thanks. I have learnt a lot from your detailed analysis
@FM thijscom and
@astro5.
I see no point in trading a white bishop from square e3 to a black bishop from square g7. If this deal makes sense, explain, I also want to defeat players with a rating of 2100+
If you agree that the trade made sense, in view of the constrained position. Then the only sensible strategy was to move 24. ef .... so that you can fight the black pawn e5 in the file "e". The structure of the blocked center created in the game is so unprofitable for whites that there is no need to comment.
I know I am not as strong a player as you, but the reason behind exd5 that I see is that it limits your opponent's ability to break in the center with ...f5. Your control over the a1-h8 diagonal with moves such as Qc3 after a few exchanges on d4 might mean that f5 is too loose.
Hope this helps at least a little.
thanks for sharing the game
@mathtuition88 i enjoyed thinking about your questions
thanks to
@thijscom for your great answers, it was a very enjoyable and informative read
