Originally posted by michael liddleWhoops! ๐ณ Hehe...well, technically it would have been better for me! Sloppy note-making on my part. I would like to say that I meant to say 12. ... g6, but that would leave quite a few holes on the dark squares on black's kingside, so it wouldn't be the soundest.
12..........h6 would have given you mate in one!
My bad on that one. ๐ณ
Originally posted by RagwortI considered 16. Bxe6 but 16. ... Nxc5! looks good for black. After 17. dxc4 Bxe6 18. cxd6 Qxd6 19. Rfd1 Qc7 black looks to have a slight advantage due to the B vs. N scenario, while 17. Bxc8 Nxc8 18. dxc5 Ne7 (and heading for d5) looks pretty decent for black as well. Starting the other way round is more forcing, with 16. Nxe6 fxe6 17. Bxe6+, but after 17. ... Kh8 white's attack seems to fizzle.
Did you consider 16. Bxe6 fxe6 17. Nxe6 forking Q and R at all. There are similar motifs in the Caro Kann (Tal Botvinnik), Sicilian Defence and the Queens Gambit Accepted...
Can't say it is winning but you will have 2P and R for B + N and Black is still a little tangled.
Originally posted by RagwortThat's true, the line 16. Bxe6 Nxc5 17. Bxc8 Nxc8 18. dxc5 Ne7 does leave white a pawn up.
But aren't you a pawn up now?
I still don't like it though, as all black's pieces are tied up before the exchanges but have full mobility afterwards. This should be adequate compensation for the pawn. I also think it will be difficult to exploit the extra material with all the heavy artillery still on the board, and with black's knight able to grab a great outpost on d5 where white will have to spend considerable time trying to make his knight useful. My guess is that a draw isn't far off.
You do make a good point though, extra material is a long term plus that may be enough for white to tip the balance decidedly in his favour is the tactics/dynamics work out. Any strong players here want to weigh in on this question?
Originally posted by sonhouseI looked at that too, as I liked the idea of keeping that passed pawn stuck right in the middle of black's position, but I wasn't sure how to go about attacking the kingside afterwards. Do you see a clear path after 28. e5?
I was looking at 28 Exf5 and I thought instead of taking, pushing would have given you a real strategic advantage. Anyone else comment on that? Protected passed pawn looked pretty good to me.
Originally posted by PBE6One scenario could be 28 e5 c5 double attacking the a pawn and if you want to save it, forces you to either push or protect with b3 or Q c4 , the idea there would be black wants to get his bishop on c6 and with both white pawns advanced, the black bishop would have a commanding view of that diagonal. So any attack would have to take that into account. I am just doing this from memory so I haven't looked very deep for sure๐
I looked at that too, as I liked the idea of keeping that passed pawn stuck right in the middle of black's position, but I wasn't sure how to go about attacking the kingside afterwards. Do you see a clear path after 28. e5?