5.Nfd2!
Better than 5.Ne5 when the knight can become a target. Black now has 3 options: 1) 5...f5, 2) 5...d5, 3) 5...Nf6.

1) 5...f5 6.c4 (6.Nb3 and 6.d5!? are also worth considering) Nf6 7.e3 Rg8 8.b3!? and white has a very solid structure, with the positional threat of Ba3. Black can play for ...f4, but his is just as exposed as white's. Play might continue 8...d5 9.Ba3 Nc6 10.Bxe7 Nxe7 11.Nc3, which Fritz assesses as +0.96 at 18 ply. This seems to be black's best option, but white is not without possible improvements.

2) 5...d5 6.c4 c6 (6...Nf6 7.cxd5 Qxd5 8.e3 Nc6 9.Nc3 Qf5 10.a3! and black's threats are going nowhere. Fritz assessses the position as +1.46 at 14 ply. White will uncoil with b4 and a kingside fianchetto, e.g., 10...Be6 11.g3 0-0-0 12.Bg2) 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.e3 and again white's position is perfectly sound enough to deal with any aggressive intentions of black. White even has the possibility of the pawn break f2-f3(f4) while black's f-pawn is presently impeded. Fritz assesses this position as +1.43 at 15 ply.

1.Nf3 g5 2.Nxg5 e5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nfd2 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.e3 Rg8

My Fritz 8, gives it a +0.75 for 9. f3 and 9. Qb3, 9. Qa4 and 9. a3 come close. I got this at 14 ply.

But on the intuitive level it looks like black has some compensation for the pawn here.

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Akavall
Member since Jan-08-04

whatthefat
Member since Feb-06-05

JointheArmy
Member since Dec-04-04

<Akavall: What line does your Fritz give after:

1.Nf3 g5 2.Nxg5 e5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nfd2 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.e3 Rg8

My Fritz 8, gives it a +0.75 for 9. f3 and 9. Qb3, 9. Qa4 and 9. a3 come close. I got this at 14 ply.

But on the intuitive level it looks like black has some compensation for the pawn here.>

Superficially, black is compensated by his spatial advantage, and active rook. However, when it comes down to the specifics of the position, I think there are a number of factors working against black:

1. White has the f2-f3 break (which is the line preferred by the computer immediately), whereas black's f-pawn is blocked. If black could begin advancing his f-pawn immediately, I'd agree that he has compensation, but as it is, black can't make much progress.

2. Black's weak kingside pawn structure in addition to the material deficit will lead to lost endings.

3. White's pieces, while presently undeveloped, are ready to uncoil nicely, using cxd5 to clarify the centre. By contrast, black's queenside knight and rook will not easily enter the game.

My Fritz 8 (using 192Mb hashtables, and otherwise default settings) showing top 5 moves, evaluates the position at 14 ply as:

1. (1.41) 9.f3 exf3 10.Qxf3 Bg4 11.Qf2 Be6
2. (1.25) 9.a3 Bf5 10.f3 Nbd7 11.cxd5 cxd5
3. (1.20) 9.Qb3 a6 10.f3 exf3 11.Nxf3 b5
4. (1.18) 9.Qa4 a6 10.f3 exf3 11.Nxf3 Bf5
5. (1.17) 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.f3 exf3 11.Qxf3 Bg4

At 16 ply, it gives:

1. (1.38) 9.f3 exf3 10.Qxf3 Bg4 11.Qf2 Be6
2. (1.24) 9.Qb3 a6 10.g3 b5 11.cxd5 cxd5
2. (1.20) 9.a3 Bg4 10.Qb3 Qd7 11.cxd5 cxd5
4. (1.20) 9.Qa4 a6 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.cxd5 Qxd5
5. (1.13) 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.f3 exf3 11.Nxf3 Nc6

Following the "main line" 9.f3 exf3 10.Qxf3 Bg4 11.Qf2 (11.Qf4 is also worthy of consideration), we reach this position, with white threatening to consolidate before black can bring anything to a head:

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At 17 ply, Fritz assesses this position as:

1.Nf3 g5 2.Nxg5 e5 3.d4 Be7 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nfd2 d5 6.c4 c6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.e3 Rg8 9.f3 exf3 10.Qxf3 Bg4 11.Qf2 Be6

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In this position, I think black has some compensation.

Black pieces are better developed. Actually, I don't see (when playing around with Fritz) how white can finish development. Where will white King go, castling long?I don't see how to achieve it. Casting short and staying in the center seems dangerous.

After the main-line your Fritz gives:11...Be6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Bd3 Nc6 14.Nf3

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How about 14...Qd7 for black here. If you don't mind lets continue with this line for a little bit and see what we come up with.

I agree with that.

<I think 12.Nf3! would be a good move because 12... dxc4 13.Ne5 and the only way to protect the pawn is with 13... b5 but thats just too weakening.>

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I think black is doing fine here. I don't see how white can attack black pawns on the queen's side. The position is very complex, it reminds me of semi-slav. I would probably even prefer to play black in this position, but this of course has nothing to do with the objective evaluation of the position.

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Here, Fritz (black) uncorked the dubious <15...f5??>.

How Fritz came up with this I don't understand. It permits 16. g6!, and now the g-pawn totally cramps black's king, the g5 square is vacated for the knight to join the attack, which in turn creates a Q+R battery on the h-file. 15...f5 is just terrible, and black's game quickly turned to mud afterwards.

Black would have been well off with the simple 15...g6!. This buys time (forcing white to protect his queen, e.g. 16. Qh6) and it blocks the g5 pawn which white dearly wishes to evacuate for his knight.

After 16. Qh6, black now has time for 16...f6 with room to escape attack.

If 17. Qxg6+ then 17...Qg7 18. Qxg6+ Kxg7 19. Rxd5 and black is simply up a piece.

It does not find it until depth 11 and many minutes have passed.

Before that point, the computer evaluates white as wanting to take the Knight and seems to prefer f5 if white does take the knight.