White to move. Suggestions, preferably without using an engine?
lichess.org/editor/r2nqr1k/1pp1nbpp/1p1p1p2/4pP2/4P2Q/P2P1N2/BPP3PP/R1B2RK1 w - -
lichess.org/editor/r2nqr1k/1pp1nbpp/1p1p1p2/4pP2/4P2Q/P2P1N2/BPP3PP/R1B2RK1 w - -
The Bh6 line seems promising at glance.
Especially the Bh6 ... Rf2 ... O-O-O variation XD
More seriously, Bh6
... gxh6 Qxf6+ Kg8 Qxg6 (threatens Ng5 → Qxh7#)
... Bxa2 Ng5 Rg7 Rxa2 (I'd eval this as at least +1 materially; overall likely more given the expected protected passed pawn(s) on f/g/h columns necessiating tying up one or two of black's minor pieces.)
Or ... Ng8 . Bxg7+ Kxg7 . Qg4+ Kh8 . Nh4 (to ease white's kingside rook into play, and to threaten Ng6+ following Bxf7)
... Nh6? (threatens Queen, f5 pawn) . Qh3 (threatens Qxh6+ following Ng6+ ?xg6)
. .. Bh5 . Rf3? (baits, if Bxf3 Ng6 hxg6 Qxh6#)
. . . Rg8 . Bxg8 Qxg8 . Rg3 Qf8 | and white is better by at least a pawn + pushing two passed pawns in the Ng6+ line, with less minor pieces to block.
No engine use, so there's probably a refutation to the above somewhere.
Especially the Bh6 ... Rf2 ... O-O-O variation XD
More seriously, Bh6
... gxh6 Qxf6+ Kg8 Qxg6 (threatens Ng5 → Qxh7#)
... Bxa2 Ng5 Rg7 Rxa2 (I'd eval this as at least +1 materially; overall likely more given the expected protected passed pawn(s) on f/g/h columns necessiating tying up one or two of black's minor pieces.)
Or ... Ng8 . Bxg7+ Kxg7 . Qg4+ Kh8 . Nh4 (to ease white's kingside rook into play, and to threaten Ng6+ following Bxf7)
... Nh6? (threatens Queen, f5 pawn) . Qh3 (threatens Qxh6+ following Ng6+ ?xg6)
. .. Bh5 . Rf3? (baits, if Bxf3 Ng6 hxg6 Qxh6#)
. . . Rg8 . Bxg8 Qxg8 . Rg3 Qf8 | and white is better by at least a pawn + pushing two passed pawns in the Ng6+ line, with less minor pieces to block.
No engine use, so there's probably a refutation to the above somewhere.
I was thinking of Be3 followed by Nd2, Rf3 and Rh3. Black can probably play Bxa2 somewhere, but the attack looks promising.
If I'm looking at the same position (fen was a little weird) white's bishop on h2 is pretty useless, and I'm not a fan of any other placement. My instinct would be to play something like g4 or kh1 and launch the pawns to shake stuff up.
What would have, say Capablanca, played?
This does not look like a game of Capablanca.
Nimzovich would probably have played g4.
Nimzovich would probably have played g4.
I would play c4 to prevent bishop exchange and d5 and then push g4.
c4 and then what with Ba2? Ba2-b1-c2-d1 takes long.
Why avoid trading bishops? Black has the good bishop, white the bad bishop outside the pawn chain. Trading bishops favours white. Bxf7 helps black with ...Nxf7. Therefore I would play g4 right away and let him take e.g. g4 Bxa2 Rxa2.
Why avoid trading bishops? Black has the good bishop, white the bad bishop outside the pawn chain. Trading bishops favours white. Bxf7 helps black with ...Nxf7. Therefore I would play g4 right away and let him take e.g. g4 Bxa2 Rxa2.
Oh dear!
Now guess who played what...
Now guess who played what...
@Sarg0n #1
At first sight I found Nf3-g5 somewhat tempting (with the idea of provoking h7h6 and then Bxh6 and a rook lift Rf3) but the longer I look at the position, the more solid black's position looks like :)
But maybe I'm overlooking a tactical or positional win for white ?
At first sight I found Nf3-g5 somewhat tempting (with the idea of provoking h7h6 and then Bxh6 and a rook lift Rf3) but the longer I look at the position, the more solid black's position looks like :)
But maybe I'm overlooking a tactical or positional win for white ?
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