Lichess analysis annotated 4. Nf3?? as a blunder preferring (4. Nc3) (see on Lichess). I am trying to understand the ideas that make this a blunder. At depth 23 with Stockfish 13+ NNEU, both were evaluated at +2.1.
If you push the depth to 28, it begins to show a 0.1 preference for Nc3 over Nf3, but I still don't see how this evaluation disparity resulted in the blunder annotation.
My thoughts:
- 4. Nf3 continues development for White. Castling short becomes an option. Black has no immediate threat with the lone queen and must respond by moving the queen. This gives White the option to develop yet another piece. Black may fall behind in development.
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- Nc3 also develops a piece but adds a protector to the e4 pawn which may come under attack after ...d5 .
I see no ideas that lead to a strong preference for one over the other. Am I missing some ideas in this position?
I realize that +/- 0.1 in an evaluation doesn't really mean a whole lot, but I am genuinely curious to learn if I'm missing an idea in the position.
At depth 48, 4.Nf3 and 4.Nc3 are both top moves with equal evaluations
Edit: A commenter remarked "I don't believe it did." I present a screenshot below proving this did occur.
[Title "White–Black (10 min) | ECO: B12 Caro-Kann Defense"]
[FEN ""]
[startply "6"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 e6 3. Bd3 Qh4 4. Nf3 Qg4 5. O-O d5 6. Re1 Nf6 7. Nbd2 e5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Nxe5 (9. h3 Qe6 10. Rxe5) 9... Qg5 10. Nef3+ Qe7 11. Rxe7+ Bxe7 12. Qe1 O-O 13. Nc4 b5 14. Nce5 Nb4 15. Be4 Bb7 16. Qe3 Nd5 17. Bxh7+ Kh8 18. Qd2 Kxh7 19. Ng5+ Kg8 20. Qd3 Nd7 (20... Bxg5 21. Bxg5) 21. Nxd7 (21. Qh7#) 21... g6 22. Qh3 Nf6 (22... Bxg5) 23. Nxf8 (23. Qh6 Rfd8 24. Nxf6+ Bxf6 25. Qh7+ Kf8 26. Qxf7#) (23. Nxf6+ Kg7 24. Ngh7 g5 25. Bxg5 Kg6 26. g4 Kg7 27. Qh6+ Kh8 28. Nxf8#) 23... Bxf8 24. b3 Re8 25. Bb2 Nh5 26. d5 cxd5 27. c4 bxc4 28. Qc3 Ng7 29. Re1 Rc8 30. bxc4 (30. Qh3 Nh5 31. Qd7 Be7 32. Qxe7 Rf8 33. Qxf8+ Kxf8 34. Nh7+ Kg8 35. Re8+ Kxh7 36. Rh8#) 30... Rxc4 31. Qd3 Rb4 32. Rb1 (32. Qh3) 32... d4 33. Ne4 33... Ra4 33. Ne4 (33. Qh3) 33... Ra4 34. Ra1 (34. Nf6+) 34... Ba6 35. Nf6+ Kh8 36. Qh3+ Nh5 37. Nxh5 gxh5 38. Qxh5+
4) Nf3
the best after a 90 seconds of grinding. lichess might consider Qh4 to be a blunder if its "what is a blunder" threshold is low.