14
votes
In Bb5 systems against the Sicilian, why does White exchange their b5 bishop without playing a6?
Some things that are probably part of the answer, but probably not complete and concrete enough:
1...a6 won't come. There is no threat to a pawn on e5, the knight isn't pinned, the only point of 3....
- 27.8k
13
votes
Accepted
Can the "bishop pair advantage" be supported by statistics?
Download all games from top players. Around 341k games excluding the duplicates.
Use pgn-extract to get BBvNB, BBvNN and BNvNN games.
Run bayeselo to get the stats.
Results
Table 1
Rank Name: Elo ...
- 3,885
7
votes
Rossolimo 3.Bb5 vs open Sicilian against c5-Nc6 sicilian
Please note that the ...e5 push Black does on your line is not forced and there are plenty of other variations Black can opt for (like 4...e6, or 4...g6, or 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 d6, or even 4...e5)
Each of ...
- 16.3k
7
votes
About 12...Bg5 and move orders in the 9.Nd5 Sveshnikov
Black would be thrilled if White exchanged his perfectly-placed knight on d5 for Black's bad bishop on f6. 12...Bg5 brings it to a diagonal where it's actually doing something and also makes it ...
- 14.7k
7
votes
In Bb5 systems against the Sicilian, why does White exchange their b5 bishop without playing a6?
A few things:
1) White's actually not wasting any tempi. He has to move his bishop out anyway (in order to castle). Then, once on b5, taking on c6 doesn't waste a tempo since Black has to spend a ...
- 19.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Is this 2B vs. N endgame won for the bishops?
Try Syzygy tablebase: https://syzygy-tables.info/?fen=8/8/5b2/8/K7/8/k7/1b1N4_w_-_-_0_1
Please ignore DTZ if you don't know what it is, look at DTM. It's checkmate in 139 piles with perfect play.
No,...
- 22.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Can one win with two dark square bishops and two light square bishops and his opponent has only one queen?
What you're referring to is a so-called "7-man" ending (2 kings, 1 queen and 4 bishops). Luckily for you, we have 7-man tablebases which are even available online and which allow us to analyze every ...
- 642
4
votes
In Bb5 systems against the Sicilian, why does White exchange their b5 bishop without playing a6?
A lot of it is simply to create an imbalance. Nakamura has mentioned this before about a different opening B-for-N trade, and sometimes it is done without even getting doubled pawns in return, like an ...
- 32.4k
4
votes
In Bb5 systems against the Sicilian, why does White exchange their b5 bishop without playing a6?
The main reason is that White does not want to face Nd4in many lines. They want to make sure they will "hurt" Black's pawn structure with Bxc6.
Compare this line with others where the Black knight is ...
- 16.3k
3
votes
Accepted
Trading bishops
First, note that
It is well-known that a bishop pair is stronger than a bishop and a knight or two knights.
is wrong, strictly speaking. Wheter either of these combinations is strongest depends on ...
- 183
3
votes
Accepted
Structure-better structure or bishop pair in the endgame?
More often than not, the Bishop pair will compensate for doubled pawns in an endgame.
Your unopposed bishop would have to be pretty bad (and therefore your overall position) if it's influence did not ...
- 6,111
2
votes
About 12...Bg5 and move orders in the 9.Nd5 Sveshnikov
In the Sveshnikov variation, Black concedes positional advantages (weak pawn in d6, and outpost in d5) for dynamical play based on: active pieces, pawn break (...f5) and dark-square play. Indeed, ...
- 925
2
votes
Is this 2B vs. N endgame won for the bishops?
I would suggest running Tablebase on the position - the program can calculate exactly how many moves until the end, provided there are six or less pieces.
In practical play, it is one of those ...
- 19.8k
2
votes
Rossolimo 3.Bb5 vs open Sicilian against c5-Nc6 sicilian
The Rossolimo scores really, really well. According to the chess 365 database, white scores 56.8% with the Rossolimo and only 51% with the open. Also, stockfish gives a very slight edge to the ...
- 4,249
1
vote
Rossolimo 3.Bb5 vs open Sicilian against c5-Nc6 sicilian
Obviously the Rossolimo is a less ambitious option than the Open Sicilian. It is, however, easier to learn for white, less risky and less sharp and so likely to be less the cup of tea of ardent ...
- 1,268
1
vote
Structure-better structure or bishop pair in the endgame?
It depends on the position, but a bishop is generally considered strong of play is on both sides of the boards and it's an open board. I would think that a sample position would help to understand ...
- 2,168
1
vote
Is this 2B vs. N endgame won for the bishops?
http://www.thechessworld.com/resources/nalimov-endgame-tables
Per Nalimov Endgme Tablebases the endgame of K+2B vs. K+N is a force win for the 2Bs in a maximum of 67 moves.
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