LinearUnlock Your Genius - January 2009 (Problems)
Time for another one! This time a middlegame position, which I hope will result in more people getting involved and posting their ideas. :)
Here's my initial take on it:
Black's up a pawn, plus has two pawn islands to white's three. His knights have nice central outposts which White will have a hard time dislodging anytime soon (f3 is difficult due to the weak pawn it leaves on e3). His Bishop is currently rather passive, particularly due to the pawn on f5 restricting it.
Against this, White has two bishops, both of which are placed on nice, open diagonals. His Knight isn't doing much yet on e2, but has several squares available to hop to (f4-d5, d4, or perhaps c3). The open d5-g8 and a1-g7 diagonals may provide him with some play against Black's kingside. White's king doesn't have any problems for the moment, though Black may try to attack the light squares around it at some point, if Black's bishop, knights and queen can coordinate later on.
All considered, I think I slightly prefer Black here. White's small advantage in bishop activity doesn't seem to be enough to justify Black's extra pawn and healthier structure. As Black here, I'd be looking to activate the d7 bishop in some way. The way that most appeals to me personally is to play Rab8 and b5, producing some play along the a6-f1 diagonal and the open b-file. I could also see someone preferring to keep Black's pawn structure intact for now, and instead playing Rae8 and Bc6 to centralize.
Beyond activating the bishop and getting the rook off a8, I don't see a lot for Black to do here yet. It will depend on how White plays over the next few moves; the game is approaching the point where both sides' pieces are placed, and a small tactical shot may lead to a stronger positional advantage, one way or the other.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
So much for more activity. Makes me sad. :(
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by Tony Kosten 
, France, Wednesday, February 04, 2009, 02:29 (5918 days ago) @ dlwyatt
? So much for more activity. Makes me sad. :(
Maybe everyone is having a good long think about the finer points of the position?! 
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by tapestry 
, Hampshire, Saturday, February 07, 2009, 20:14 (5914 days ago) @ dlwyatt
I find these sorts of positions very difficult to play. Just finding a plan is difficult enough, but finding the most appropriate plan is a huge challenge.
From whites perspective:
Strengths:
King looks safe, 2 bishops, semi open b and d files, some strength on the black squares (d4 and f4 jump out).
Weaknesses:
1 pawn down, weak queenside pawns, less space in the centre, d3 and b3 squares look weak
Plan:
The only pawn break available is e3-e4, but black has enough pieces covering e4 to make this difficult to achieve. This would also open up the f file for blacks rook(s). The QB is actively placed but not hitting anything and the KB is hemmed in by the black knight on e4. White cannot achieve much on the b or d files unless black allows a weakness by advancing the queenside pawns. As white I would be thinking that I was in a worse position and be aiming to thwart blacks plans. I would think in terms of Nd4, Qc2, Rce1 and f2-f3 aiming for e3-e4.
From blacks perspective:
Strengths:
1 pawn up, actively placed knights (including an outpost on c5), more space in the centre
Weaknesses:
no dark squared bishop, e6 square
Plan:
The break with
b7-b5 looks a possibility with the aim of opening the b file. The d7 bishop is piece that looks most unhappy in blacks position and 1
Bc6 appeals. I am thinking of
Bc6,
Ng5 and exchanging white squared bishops. However, I think whites king is safe for the time being. If white replies 2. Nd4 black would be left with the choice of exchanging B for N or retreating the bishop. I wouldnt object to swapping bishops as black but I would want to retain the white squared bishop unless I was exchanging it for whites counterpart. I wondered if the plan to play 1
Rae8 with the idea of doubling rooks on the e file and preventing white from playing e3-e4 would be good. However, if white plays 2. Nf4 and 3. Nd5 black has to think about defending the c7 pawn and trying to evict the white knight.
The white knight arriving on d5 is quite irritating for black and I wonder if black should play to counter this by playing 1 Ne6. If 2. Nf4 Nxf4 3. exf4 Bc6 and white still has the weaknesses on the queenside. If 1 Ne6 2. Nd4 Nxd4 3. Bxd4 (if 3. exd4 f4) black could play b6 (preventing the c pawn advance), Rae8 and Bc6 trying to keep up pressure on the white squares.
In this sort of position over the board I think I would end up thinking for some time and probably end up playing a move like 1 Rae8 because I wasnt sure what to play rather than spend too much time thinking. I would then end up reacting to whites moves.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by Tony Kosten , France, Monday, February 09, 2009, 13:32 (5913 days ago) @ tapestry
Really good replies so far! 
Nf4 (hitting the queen) -h5 attacking g7 is also something to think about, also the fact that knights are often weakest when they are defending each other.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
? Really good replies so far!
? Nf4 (hitting the queen) -h5 attacking g7 is also something to think about,
? also the fact that knights are often weakest when they are defending each
? other.
So you like 1... Ne6 better. ;) It more or less discourages Nf4 from white, and will probably be followed by 2... Bc6, but I'm not sure where to take it from there. Are we aiming for a kingside light-squared attack, perhaps involving Qh6 and one of the Knights to g5?
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by tapestry , Hampshire, Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 23:49 (5911 days ago) @ dlwyatt
? So you like 1... Ne6 better. ;) It more or less discourages Nf4 from
? white, and will probably be followed by 2... Bc6, but I'm not sure where
? to take it from there. Are we aiming for a kingside light-squared attack,
? perhaps involving Qh6 and one of the Knights to g5?
If black does allow 2. Nf4 and 3. Nh5 what does this achieve for white? The dark squares around the black king are vulnerable, and white's pieces are more active. For example, 1...Bc6 2. Nf4 Qf7 3. Nh5. Black should probably reply 3...Ne6 (3...g6 weakens the black squares around the king even further and allows 4. Qd4). With the white rook lined up on the f file, perhaps white could try and open this file, but f2-f3 is not possible as the N on h5 is hanging.
Perhaps the point is that black should be aiming to try and stifle white's play first and improve the position of his pieces, waiting to see if white makes a more commital (and weakening) move which could be exploited. Looking at the position, the white bishop on b2 is appearing more of a monster piece, and black might need to use his knights to defend the dark squares.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by Tony Kosten , France, Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 11:31 (5911 days ago) @ tapestry
? For example, 1...Bc6 2. Nf4 Qf7 3. Nh5.
After 1...Bc6 2 Nd4 are you planning to return the bishop to d7 and repeat?
? Perhaps the point is that black should be aiming to try and stifle white's
? play first and improve the position of his pieces, waiting to see if white
? makes a more commital (and weakening) move which could be exploited.
? Looking at the position, the white bishop on b2 is appearing more of a
? monster piece, and black might need to use his knights to defend the dark
? squares.
Yes, what I would really like to play is ...f5-f6 to close the a1-h8 diagonal!! This is always the problem with playing Dutch Defence type positions, ...f5 is aggressive but weakens the long diagonal and the seventh rank! 
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
? ? For example, 1...Bc6 2. Nf4 Qf7 3. Nh5.
?
? After 1...Bc6 2 Nd4 are you planning to return the bishop to d7 and
? repeat?
?
2... Nb3 looks interesting there. White can end up getting his pawn back, but at the expense of getting into an opposite-color bishop game where his light squares around the king and the c4 pawn are in a lot of trouble, ie:
1... Bc6 2. Nd4 Nb3 3. Nxb3 axb3 4. Bxe4 (4. Qxb3 Nd2 -+) fxe4 5. Qxb3 Qf7, and it looks like Black's in control now. He can play b6 then lift the rook to a5 and over to c5 or f5 with a lot of pressure.
I thought White might try not taking on b3, but something like 3. Rc2 Nxd4 4. exd4 f4 looks pretty strong for Black too.
Anyhow, it's a much sharper response to Nd4 than just backing down and giving white a free couple of tempi. :)
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by tapestry , Hampshire, Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 20:50 (5910 days ago) @ dlwyatt
? 1... Bc6 2. Nd4 Nb3 3. Nxb3 axb3 4. Bxe4 (4. Qxb3 Nd2 -+) fxe4 5. Qxb3
? Qf7, and it looks like Black's in control now. He can play b6 then lift
? the rook to a5 and over to c5 or f5 with a lot of pressure.
That looks a good idea. If instead white captures 3. Nxc6, after 3...bxc6 4. Rc2, the knight on b3 would be difficult for white to kick away. Presumably, black would then aim to double rooks on the b file.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
? ? 1... Bc6 2. Nd4 Nb3 3. Nxb3 axb3 4. Bxe4 (4. Qxb3 Nd2 -+) fxe4 5. Qxb3
? ? Qf7, and it looks like Black's in control now. He can play b6 then
? lift
? ? the rook to a5 and over to c5 or f5 with a lot of pressure.
?
? That looks a good idea. If instead white captures 3. Nxc6, after 3...bxc6
? 4. Rc2, the knight on b3 would be difficult for white to kick away.
? Presumably, black would then aim to double rooks on the b file.
Heh, color me stupid. I figured White couldn't capture on c6 due to the hanging rook on c1, overlooking the simple Ne7+ fork. Black's position after that exchange on c6 isn't terrible, but not really what I was looking at.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by tapestry , Hampshire, Tuesday, March 03, 2009, 22:21 (5890 days ago) @ dlwyatt
I'm still not sure I've found a good plan for black. After 1...Ne6 2. Nf4 I think black's best reply is 2...Nxf4 3. exf4 Bc6 with the possibility of white exchanging on e4 resulting in opposite coloured bishops. I wonder if this would favour black as his pawn structure seems to be in better order. If white doesn't exchange on e4, the knight would either be left on e4 (looks good for black) or could be pushed away with f2-f3 to settle on c5. Black could then aim to try and take control of the e file.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by Tony Kosten , France, Monday, March 23, 2009, 22:18 (5870 days ago) @ tapestry
This thread seems to have gone very quiet, so I think it must be time to put the answer online? 
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by tapestry , Hampshire, Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 07:50 (5870 days ago) @ Tony Kosten
? This thread seems to have gone very quiet, so I think it must be time to
? put the answer online?
Unfortunately, yes.
I wonder if there is a way to encourage more people to interact and have a try? Your comment on the 9/2/9 highlighted something I hadn't even considered and made me think again.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
I ran out of constructive ideas a while ago, and have been rather busy with a move to a new state for a new job. :)
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by Tony Kosten , France, Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 12:45 (5870 days ago) @ tapestry
? I wonder if there is a way to encourage more people to interact and have a
? try?
I doubt it, I used to offer prizes but only received a few responses each time anyway.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by tapestry , Hampshire, Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 21:03 (5869 days ago) @ Tony Kosten
Thanks for the answer Tony. To me it certainly was a thought provoking position.
I wonder if you have the time would you be able to say a few words about the couple of moves that led up to the initial position, as it'll be interesting to know why the pieces were on the squares that they were.
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by Tony Kosten , France, Thursday, March 26, 2009, 00:26 (5868 days ago) @ tapestry
? I wonder if you have the time would you be able to say a few words about
? the couple of moves that led up to the initial position, as it'll be
? interesting to know why the pieces were on the squares that they were.
Sure, the opening moves were 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Ne4 5. Qc2 f5 (a sort of 'Dutch/Nimzo-Indian') 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 d6 8. O-O Bxc3 9. bxc3 Nc6 10. d5 Ne7 11. Nd4 exd5 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Bb2 Qe8 14. c4 Nb4 15. Qb3 a5 16. a3 Nc5 17. Qd1 (17 Qc3 draws) 17...Nba6 18. Nb5 Be6 19. Rc1 Qg6 20. Nd4 Bd7 21. Bc3 a4 22. e3 Ne4 23. Bb2 Nac5 24. Ne2.
As you can see I managed to move my knights from c5 and a6 to the somewhat better squares on e4 and c5, fix the a3-pawn, and position my queen and bishop. Probably I should have continued improving my pieces!
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
? ? I wonder if there is a way to encourage more people to interact and have
? a
? ? try?
?
? I doubt it, I used to offer prizes but only received a few responses each
? time anyway.
In my case i'm so involved in studying the big amount of material from the archives that i don't have enough time to participate in the current discussion. Once i get catched up you can bet i will be here
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
? ? ? I wonder if there is a way to encourage more people to interact and
? have
? ? a
? ? ? try?
? ?
? ? I doubt it, I used to offer prizes but only received a few responses
? each
? ? time anyway.
?
? In my case i'm so involved in studying the big amount of material
? from the archives that i don't have enough time to participate in the
? current discussion. Once i get catched up you can bet i will be here
apologize my bad english 
Unlock Your Genius - January 2009
by tapestry , Hampshire, Thursday, April 02, 2009, 14:32 (5860 days ago) @ Strad
edited by tapestry, Thursday, April 02, 2009, 14:37
Thank you for posting the rest of the game Tony.
? In my case i'm so involved in studying the big amount of material
? from the archives that i don't have enough time to participate in the
? current discussion. Once i get catched up you can bet i will be here
That's a big task. I suspect that there is enough material on the site to make it very difficult to catch up, especially with more material being added each month. Good luck!!
