Lichess suggests Re3, Nb1, h4, Bf1, and e5 as top 5 moves. Evaluation is within (-0.7, 0.5). I expected it to be the evaluation to be at most -1. What's going on?
[FEN "rnbnk1r1/pp1p1p1p/2p1p1p1/8/4PP2/2Nq2P1/P2B2BP/3RR1KQ w kq - 0 13"]
The Queen is in the corner because this is a Chess960 game.
These sharp positions usually rely on specific calculation, so small details can make the position change completely, but in general terms, Black is far behind in development. Also, White can try to place a very dangerous knight on the d6 square (that's the logic behind the e5 suggstion)
The first idea that occurs to me in this is e5 followed by Ne4 (hence black played ...d5 followed by ...f5 in your engine line) because the Black position, as the phrase goes, "leaks like a sieve."
Let's take a simple scan of the static features in black's position, without looking for variations:
Black's position is painfully weak on the dark squares, there is no dark-squared bishop available to help defend them and the Queen is off on her own, not doing much of anything worthwhile beyond getting threatened with a discovered attack. Even if castling is possible (no mention in the post) there's nothing over there to defend the King from the drafts coming in through the castle windows (f6 and h6).
Black's Nd8 has no moves, and the Nb8 is only marginally better, having only the relatively useless a6 to move to. In fact, only the Black king and Rg8 have any moves. Meanwhile White's pieces are pretty much all developed (even the Qh1 is lending her strength to the long diagonal.
The last point means it's going to take black about 8 moves to finish development; there's an old adage that says 3 three moves in development is worth a little more than a pawn, so that pretty much balances the 3-pawn deficit, barring tactical possibilities in the position. It also hints that my first impression of e5 is possibly not the best, as it gives black something to play against.
My own candidate moves for that position include Nd5, intending to sac the knight to open up the path to the black king (I think the sac has to be accepted, as the threat of Nc7 and Bb4 loom large in several variations). Open lines in the center favor the better developed player, but it's probably not sound, despite how much I want it to be.
I'm really hard pressed to see any actual threats black is able to make in this position, White has many. Even the brute force of Re3 has the merit of not offering black a quick way to start forcing exchanges, the traditional counter to a development advantage. And don't ignore Ne2, securing the only loose end that is preventing white from discovering on the queen.
It's an interesting position, lots of opportunities for White to attack, none for Black, so even though I don't see a knock-out blow ATM, it's definitely more fun playing White in this.
