İn this situation i took the knight because i thougt that i could easily improve my status but machine is saying it is a big mistake and takes -4 to -0.4 i didnt understand it.
Taking the knight (and subsequently trading rooks, too) does not improve your position - in fact, you give away your two most (only) active pieces and lose initiative.
Worse, you don't get equal compensation. On paper, White has developed two pieces and castled, same as you. But both of these pieces cannot actually move - the knight is pinned to the king of f1, and the rook is tied to the defense of that knight. Trading two active pieces for two active ones of your opponent is often okay - but you traded two active for two inactive ones, and that is clearly bad.
Even worse, the trade on e2 greatly helps your opponent to improve *their* position. As you can see, Stockfish suggests 13...Bd3 as the best move. It maintains the pin of the knight on e2 and most importantly blocks the pawn on e2 from moving. With own pawns stuck on d2 and c3 (if c4, you can answer ...d4, blocking c3 again), White has huge problems to develop the queenside pieces in useful ways. During the time White needs to untangle their position, you are free to develop your kingside much more efficiently and add some pressure (during that time, you are essentially playing with one more piece, leading to Stockfish's evaluation of -4 despite material balance on paper). However, after the ´trade on e2, White's problems evaporate - after a push of the d-pawn, all of the pieces become untombed again.
Worse, you don't get equal compensation. On paper, White has developed two pieces and castled, same as you. But both of these pieces cannot actually move - the knight is pinned to the king of f1, and the rook is tied to the defense of that knight. Trading two active pieces for two active ones of your opponent is often okay - but you traded two active for two inactive ones, and that is clearly bad.
Even worse, the trade on e2 greatly helps your opponent to improve *their* position. As you can see, Stockfish suggests 13...Bd3 as the best move. It maintains the pin of the knight on e2 and most importantly blocks the pawn on e2 from moving. With own pawns stuck on d2 and c3 (if c4, you can answer ...d4, blocking c3 again), White has huge problems to develop the queenside pieces in useful ways. During the time White needs to untangle their position, you are free to develop your kingside much more efficiently and add some pressure (during that time, you are essentially playing with one more piece, leading to Stockfish's evaluation of -4 despite material balance on paper). However, after the ´trade on e2, White's problems evaporate - after a push of the d-pawn, all of the pieces become untombed again.
thanks man
By the way, the move 13…Bd3!! is just marvellous
Ever heard of: „The threat is stronger than its execution?“ ;)
Consider this: you can always take the knight next turn (and nothing else can defend it). So if Bxe2 actually happened to be the best move, any move which allowed Bxe2 next turn would also be the best move. That's why often the threat is stronger than the execution: it's only in cases where the opponent produces a counter-threat that you need to immediately execute your threat.
Unfortunately, as #2 states Bd3 is a better move, so Bxe2 isn't one of multiple best moves.
Unfortunately, as #2 states Bd3 is a better move, so Bxe2 isn't one of multiple best moves.
Just out of morbid curiosity: If the threat of Bxe2 is real here, and the threat is indeed worse than the execution, AND what Toad said about a move which still allows Bxe2 afterwards is also the best move, doesn't d4 also deliver a big threat? Namely to win material instead of a reduction? If d4 is met by d3, then Bxd3.....if cxd, then cxd and, to quote Zeppelin, the threat remains the same? Or perhaps I should stick to antichess and quoting song lyrics? :D
@Dreadful What threat does 13...d4 create?
following with d3?
@Dreadful d3 Nf4.
This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.