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9 minutes;

10. Nce5 - seems pretty obvious, centralizing the knight, and it can't be removed anytime soon. It'll keep black from activating his c8 bishop. I rejected 10. e4 because of 10 ..b5 11.Nce5 c4, which gives black enough counterplay, not to mention the battery c2-d3 isn't functioning anymore, and the white central pawns have become weak.


black will play h6, to stop any knight intrusions on g5.

10.Nce5 cxd4 7 mins

Don't particularly like white's position but couldn't see any move I'd prefer - other moves could end up with e4 being blocked for a long time, nullifying the Q-B combo for white. Black will take the d-pawn (surely!) unless there's another surprise.

10.e4 g6 6 Minutes

10.e4 aiming for e5 to remove the f6 knight who defends the h7 pawn.

10...g6 so the B+Q battery bite on granite.

Some interesting ideas. I like the b5 analysis provided by Schakuhr. That is one of my weaknesses for sure, I don't see pawn moves very well.

I saw a coule of people mentioning the time which included the typing.

I just want the time that you spent thinking about the moves, typing time does not count.

5 more hours about, Thanks.

Total Points (Max possible 10)

8 Points:
7 Points: Stives, Golub, BLReid,
6 Points: Rahim,
5 Points:
4 Points: Wormwood,
3 Points: Chesswick,Zebano, Shinidoki,
2 points: cguy1,tomtom232, TheGambit.
1 point: Sickboy, Schakuhr
O points: flexmore

I vote 11. exd4 h6

11. exd4 to free Bc1 (11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 and the defender of h7 has to retreat).

11...h6 to prevent N/B incursion at g5. (4 mins)

11. exd4 Nxe5

I think Black needs to start making moves to release his bishop and this move starts that and opens up the file for the queen too. If your position is cramped then exchange pieces, is a kind of rule of the thumb isn't it?

white plays 11.exd4.
black will respond with 11. ...h6, same note as last move.

2 minutes.

I like 11. exd alot. White now has both Bishops, his Queen, and 2 Knights aiming at the kingside. Chances of an attack are building. Black can make a pawn move like g6 or h6 to help alleviate the pressure, but those moves leave him succeptible to ideas of sacrifices (eg Bxh6) ripping open the kingside protection. Unfortunately, I think that black is stuck playing defense for the time being, because moves that attempt to free him might take too long in view of White's mounting pressure. I think that g6 is the lesser of the evils as long as Black can keep his dark squared Bishop on the board.
So... 11. exd g6 8 minutes.

Originally posted by TheGambit
11. exd4 Nxe5

I think Black needs to start making moves to release his bishop and this move starts that and opens up the file for the queen too. If your position is cramped then exchange pieces, is a kind of rule of the thumb isn't it?

11. exd4 h6 - 5 minutes

Black can't play 11.. Nxe5, loses the pawn at h7 with all white pieces pointing there. Black must prevent Bg5 which puts too much pressure on the knight.. kind of solves many things.

11.exd4 g6 4 minutes.

exd4 so the knight on e5 isn't hanging. g6 to shut down the battery and prepare to exchange off some pieces, put the knight on d5 outpost without Bxh7+

Total Points (Max possible 12)


8 Points: Stives, BLReid,Golub,
7 Points: Rahim
6 Points:
5 Points:
4 Points: Wormwood, Shinidoki
3 Points: Chesswick,Zebano, The Gambit
2 points: cguy1,tomtom232,Schakuhr
1 point: Sickboy,
O points: flexmore