14
votes
Theoretically, why is 4. Bd3 NOT one of the best candidates in Caro-Kann?
The line usually quoted is 4.Bd3 Bxd3 5.Qxd3 Qa5+ 6. Bd2 Qa6! If White now exchanges Queens or allows the Queens to be exchanged he already has a poor endgame structure with a bad dark-square Bishop. ...
- 8,155
12
votes
Accepted
Why does Stockfish recommend this bishop exchange early on?
I wouldn't say it was a "sacrifice", it was more like an exchange of bishops.
My lichess engine was actually giving me ...Bd6 as the first move.
I don't understand why it wants me to move ...
- 22.4k
11
votes
Theoretically, why is 4. Bd3 NOT one of the best candidates in Caro-Kann?
But I have never seen 4. Bd3 played in titled games.
The reason could be that Black gets a superior version of the French Defense. In the French, Black blocks the natural diagonal of the c8-bishop ...
- 3,525
10
votes
Why does Stockfish recommend this bishop exchange early on?
Once white has put pawns on the central white squares of d3, c4 and e4 his white squared bishop becomes very bad, because its mobility is drastically reduced, and his dark squared bishop becomes ...
- 94.5k
10
votes
Accepted
Theoretically, why is 4. Bd3 NOT one of the best candidates in Caro-Kann?
This is a great example for explaining the concept of the bad bishop.
In the center, we see an example of a pawn chain. White has pawns on d4 and e5, and black c6, d5 and (soon) e6. These are pretty ...
- 27.8k
9
votes
Is the exchange of a rook for two minor pieces really worth it?
You say your opponent had a strong attack against your king and you had to "sacrifice" your rook for two minor pieces and went on to lose. I think you have it the wrong way round. It sounds like your ...
- 94.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Extreme effort to keep a pawn backward
In this case, the pawn on d4 is not just a target. It's also restricting white's bishop on c3. For that reason, it's very important that black not allow white to sacrifice this pawn by playing d4-d5 ...
- 15.1k
8
votes
Accepted
Why was castling bad for white in this game, and engine strongly prefered trading queens?
Castling (9. 0-0) is not a very bad move. You still have a very solid advantage after it due to being a pawn up and having the better pawn structure (black's pawns on a7, c7, c6 are weak and ...
- 20.7k
7
votes
Accepted
Why does White play g5?
Black doesn't actually win a piece.
After 1.Rb8 Kg7 2.g5!? Nxe2, White will parry the check by playing 3.Kf1, when both the Bf6 and the Ne2 are under attack. You cannot save both pieces with 3...Nd4 ...
- 15.8k
6
votes
Why is Bf5 good in this position?
After the exchange of white squared bishops black will play e6 cementing the center, leaving all his pawns on white squares. The white squared bishop is Black's bad piece in these structures and ...
- 94.5k
5
votes
Why is Bf5 good in this position?
First, it is just one way to play it. It is not really better or worse than other plans at this juncture.
Really, the big problem is that I am not a fan of 7...g6 since what is the Bf8 really going ...
- 32.4k
5
votes
Accepted
When should you trade to prevent castling?
The problem with that move is a number of things.
You gave up the bishop pair.
His attack on your king is stronger than yours on his king, and you traded off a defender.
You have no time to go after ...
- 32.4k
5
votes
Why was castling bad for white in this game, and engine strongly prefered trading queens?
9.Qxd8 followed by 10.Nxc6 wins you another pawn. Meanwhile, 9.0-0 gives Black time to protect the c6-pawn.
Given this, 9.Nxc6 is almost as good as 9.Qxd8 for the same reason (winning a pawn). ...
- 19.8k
4
votes
Accepted
B+N worth R + how many pawns?
Only a general answer can be given for this:
Generally the exchange of R+P (sometimes an extra pawn) for a Bishop and Knight favors the player who has the Bishop and Knight afterwards due to the ...
- 436
4
votes
Why does Stockfish recommend this bishop exchange early on?
Mostly when the engine suggests a such exchange maneuverer it means that either your piece has no future, or the blocking piece has a very good future. Since you need to move the bishop somewhere to ...
- 3,469
4
votes
Why does Stockfish recommend this bishop exchange early on?
There isn't a sacrifice in the line you gave. I assume you man 6...Bb4+.
The bishop is a bad bishop because it's blocked by its own pawns in the center. 7.Bd2 is virtually forced trading black's bad ...
- 4,249
3
votes
Why was castling bad for white in this game, and engine strongly prefered trading queens?
As already pointed out by user1583209, 9.Qxd8 Rxd8 10.Nxc6 followed by Nxe7+ wins an extra pawn. However I wouldn't say that trading your knight Black's dark-squared bishop is good for you because of ...
- 16.3k
3
votes
Is the exchange of a rook for two minor pieces really worth it?
Your experience doesn't speak too much to the general question. Your opponent apparently was more skilled than you, which means several things. First, they probably would have won if you hadn't traded....
- 2,262
3
votes
When to (and when not to) play Bxc6 (i.e. BxN) as White in Ruy Lopez?
It is just a matter of taste. There are pluses and minuses to the move, but the strategic idea is gaining a better pawn structure.
I have played the Exchange 4.Bxc6; the Deferred Exchange 4.Ba4 Nf6 5....
- 6,111
3
votes
Piece down vs rook for bishop exchange
In general, it is better to be an exchange (rook vs. minor piece) down than a minor piece. If you look at the standard table for piece value, you see that being an exchange down is only 5-3 = 2 points,...
- 24.8k
3
votes
Accepted
Piece down vs rook for bishop exchange
It's more than just a pawn difference (as stated in other answers). Being an exchange down, you'd still have a minor piece playing against the rook. This is not always a disadvantage, as a knight with ...
- 22.4k
3
votes
Why does Stockfish recommend this bishop exchange early on?
That is not a sacrifice at all. It is an exchange. You get rid of a bad bishop for his better one. It is positional play for a very minor advantage. But still an advantage. Enough small ones add ...
- 31
3
votes
Accepted
This variation in Open Sicilian: why give back the exchange?
If you don't give it back, White probably takes it back anyway.
In the 9...Qg6 10 Nab5 line, Black can't leave the rook on a8 due to the threat of Nc7+. But a5 is pretty much the only place to put it....
- 18.4k
2
votes
Piece down vs rook for bishop exchange
An Exchange (rook for minor piece) is probably worth less than 2 pawns, while a piece averages over 3 pawns. Petrosian once said that the exchange is worth only one pawn.
If you are interested, you ...
- 2,338
2
votes
Accepted
Is the exchange of a rook for two minor pieces really worth it?
Two minor pieces are generally stronger than a rook, with the advantage becoming more evident when the game heads to the endgame.
It is clear that there can be exceptions even in an endgame, like one ...
- 1,184
2
votes
Is the exchange of a rook for two minor pieces really worth it?
The generally accepted numerical value of those chess pieces are that the rook is worth 5 and the knight is worth 3 (the bishop is also worth 3 and the pawn is worth 1). Looking at the situation ...
- 21
2
votes
Accepted
Why sacrifice the rook?
Well, he has to because there is no other option. The black Knight threatens to capture the white Queen, but also a 'sacrifice' on f3 which will eventually win the white Knight on c3.
[Title "White ...
- 24.8k
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