28 Feb '08 12:24>1 edit
I'm curious if anyone has had good results with moving their rook soon after castling into a fianchettoed kingside in order to save their dark-squared bishop from the exchange after Bh6 with ...Bh8.
For example, here's a blitz game I played recently:
[Event "RHP Blitz rated"]
[Site "www.playtheimmortalgame.com"]
[White "tonyemmett"]
[Black "wittywonka"]
[Result "0-1"]
1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. O-O Bg7
6. d3 O-O 7. Bf4 d6 8. Qd2 Re8 9. Bh6 Bh8 10. Nc3 Bg4
11. Re1 Qd7 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. cxd5 Nb4 14. e4 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Na6
16. Rab1 Nc7 17. Qe2 Nb5 18. Bg4 Qc7 19. f4 Nd4 20. Qf2 Nf5
21. Qf3 Nxh6 0-1
Position After 9. ... Bh8
In my blitz game, keeping my bishop seemed to help, helping me find the tactic that would have won the game, but I can also see how ignoring the exchange would allow for two extra tempi, which could also be put to good use.
Any thoughts?
For example, here's a blitz game I played recently:
[Event "RHP Blitz rated"]
[Site "www.playtheimmortalgame.com"]
[White "tonyemmett"]
[Black "wittywonka"]
[Result "0-1"]
1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. O-O Bg7
6. d3 O-O 7. Bf4 d6 8. Qd2 Re8 9. Bh6 Bh8 10. Nc3 Bg4
11. Re1 Qd7 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. cxd5 Nb4 14. e4 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Na6
16. Rab1 Nc7 17. Qe2 Nb5 18. Bg4 Qc7 19. f4 Nd4 20. Qf2 Nf5
21. Qf3 Nxh6 0-1
Position After 9. ... Bh8
In my blitz game, keeping my bishop seemed to help, helping me find the tactic that would have won the game, but I can also see how ignoring the exchange would allow for two extra tempi, which could also be put to good use.
Any thoughts?