22
votes
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What is black’s compensation in the main line of the Caro Kann?
At a basic level, what we want from an opening and a defense, is: we want to be fighting for the center squares (1), we're trying to develop our pieces and get good squares for them (2), and thirdly, ...
- 12k
14
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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
12
votes
Accepted
Not Developing a Piece in the First Five Moves
Obviously black has violated principles such as:
don't move a piece twice
develop pieces
However opening principles are just general guidelines and in very concrete positions like the one at hand ...
- 20.7k
11
votes
Accepted
Development problems for black after f4 in French Defence
You're playing a very sharp opening line that only works thanks to the option of playing 10...g5!. You should only enter this type of position if you're aware of what you're doing. Otherwise you'd be ...
- 16.3k
11
votes
Accepted
10
votes
Why black is happy with slow development?
I do not know that I would say "happy", but in chess, there are pluses and minuses to every move we make, and on top of that, there are exceptions to many positional concepts. We see GMs move pieces ...
- 32.4k
10
votes
What is black’s compensation in the main line of the Caro Kann?
The main reasons it is OK for black is that he is still down only one tempo in piece development, but he has traded off his bad bishop for white's good bishop, and his position is still very solid so ...
- 32.4k
9
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Developing the king before developing most of your pieces
Don't try this at home. ;-)
First of all, a simple LiChess search gives this is B12 Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Tal Variation, i.e. it has even a name and is legit.
Second, 8 games listed, ...
- 15.5k
7
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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
7
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Why develop knights before bishops?
Commitment (versus flexibility) indeed is the main reason for this piece of advice. In particular:
The first moves are (usually) all about fighting for control over the center. The knights are ...
- 5,918
7
votes
How good is 1. e3 2. c4 as an opening for White?
Overall, I wouldn't suggest it, especially for a beginner. There are better ways to fight for an advantage.
By playing e3 first, you are allowing your opponent to do almost whatever they like on their ...
- 18.4k
7
votes
Is it possible to get free personal chess coaching?
This site isn't a brokerage for free personal chess coaching.
This is a QA site, where you can ask chess-related questions.
That means, that if you have a position that you don't understand, are ...
- 6,010
6
votes
Accepted
Using Stockfish in Commercial Apps
I'm the Technical Lead of Chessable and the exact person who integrated SF on Chessable.
There are no license issues here because web app is not the same work as a Universal Chess Interface (UCI) ...
- 22.4k
6
votes
Development problems for black after f4 in French Defence
I am pretty sure the first 10 moves are pretty ok, but after Kg2 you are supposed to play either 0-0 or g5 (maybe some other moves are fine too; fxe fxe 0-0 is also not too bad I suppose), but Kf7 ...
- 1,326
6
votes
Accepted
Petrosian's 9. ... Be7 10. ... Ng8 11. ... Bf8
9 ... Be7 is a normal developing move preparing to castle next move.
10 ...Ng8 reflects a change in plan given white's change to the pawn structure. On f6 the black knight was doing a good job ...
- 94.5k
6
votes
Why do boys become better than girls?
Hou Yifan did an interview with Chess.com where she answered some questions about why there has been such a persistent gap between men and women when it comes to top-level chess.
Chess.com - Hou Yifan ...
- 655
5
votes
Why develop knights before bishops?
Another reason besides what you stated: The Bishops can work from home. What I mean by that is when the e/d pawns are out of the way the Bishops are already influencing enemy territory.
- 6,111
5
votes
Accepted
How to take advantage of under-development of opposing pieces?
This is an example for how it can go wrong for Black side.
[Event "?"]
[ECO "B02"]
[White "Jacques Mieses"]
[Event "Monte Carlo"]
[Black "Frank James Marshall"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/...
- 4,434
5
votes
Accepted
Polish Opening development
The line that you refer to is probably 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6.. I recall some early opening books saying that this was a bad defence because it surrendered a center pawn. The more modern view ...
- 8,155
5
votes
Why do boys become better than girls?
There was a study on this a few years ago, where researchers concluded that the number of women that were represented in the top players correlated with the number of women that participated at a ...
- 728
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
4
votes
Accepted
How does black break into the position? What is a good plan for black?
This position is still very far from having a definitive character that would dictate the nature of best play. That is still perhaps twenty moves away. If you are already thinking that you have an ...
- 8,155
4
votes
How good is 1. e3 2. c4 as an opening for White?
It’s difficult to assess how good a relatively unplayed opening like this when considered in isolation. However I feel it’s dominated by the English. I want to play 1.c4 first, as it's directly ...
- 11k
4
votes
When and why is it good to deny the development of White's dark squared bishop in the Caro-Kann exchange variation?
The 6...Bxf3 tactic wins the d4 pawn by removing its defender. Sure, it gives up the two bishops to do so, and that's the reason why black's not a full point up in evaluation. But that's not enough ...
- 259
4
votes
Accepted
When and why is it good to deny the development of White's dark squared bishop in the Caro-Kann exchange variation?
I add another answer since the crucial point hasn't been addressed, methinks.
Indeed, after 6...Qc7 7.c3 it's a simple transpose and any decent algorithm
shouldn't depend on move order to the position....
- 15.5k
3
votes
How to use my queen better
Because the Queen is so versatile, it is hard to give general rules, but you might try asking the question, which of my other pieces do I want her to cooperate with? She might combine with one of your ...
- 8,155
3
votes
What is the best approach when an opponent's queen is in the center and all of their pieces are developed?
The best approach is to prevent it. If you haven't castled, and your opponent's pieces are developed, you've already made several grave mistakes.
Post your game and we'll review it.
There are a ...
- 19.9k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible