Two Knights or Two Bishops or Both Together?

Simply put...it seems it's always an exchange. What do you prefer?

Originally posted by Evey Hammond
Simply put...it seems it's always an exchange. What do you prefer?

Depends on the position, but usually I prefer myself having the B pair against either a N & B or 2 Ns. However, sometimes the Ns are better, generally when the position is closed up so that the Bs have no good open lines while the Ns have outposts to hang off of. When I play the Nimzo-Indian I give my opp the B pair for the purpose of trying to create such a position.

Read the other 300 threads on this same subject to get your answer.

Originally posted by Evey Hammond
Simply put...it seems it's always an exchange. What do you prefer?

I've been brainwashed into favoring the Bishop over the Knight in that I'll avoid the trade if I have the Bishop but often take it if I have the Knight.

http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=32066

Originally posted by scandium
Depends on the position, but usually I prefer myself having the B pair against either a N & B or 2 Ns. However, sometimes the Ns are better, generally when the position is closed up so that the Bs have no good open lines while the Ns have outposts to hang off of. When I play the Nimzo-Indian I give my opp the B pair for the purpose of trying to create such a position.

I usually prefer the B pair as well. But you make good points as to the N pair...thx.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=32066

Thank you for your comments and the link. And thank you for being nice about it, unlike Dragon Fire. 🙂

Originally posted by Evey Hammond
Simply put...it seems it's always an exchange. What do you prefer?

I love my knights...easier to get winning sacs with them than it is with bishops

This will change your view on bishops.

YouTube

Originally posted by tomtom232
I love my knights...easier to get winning sacs with them than it is with bishops

Yes? How so?

Originally posted by Evey Hammond
Yes? How so?

Most bishop sacs are easily spotted because the usually come on f7 or f2 and the bishops move in a straight line...seeing a knight sac coming is much more difficult because most of them come in different places (for some strange reason I cannot explain) and the knight moves in an irregular way...seeing it move 3 times in a row and then sac itself is pretty difficult while seeing a straight line peice like the bishop is not so difficult...plus there just always seem to be more opportunities for knight sacs..I don't know why it just seems that way! there are probably more knight sacs ever than any other type of sac(maybe except rook sacs)

I like B pair too. They are usually better at the end of a game than Ns. More scope and can snipe pawns unprotected.

Game 4450348


Here was a good bishop pair, the game was a little blocked at first so they were not very useful for a while but the power they exerted became greater and greater once the position opened up.

Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
Game 4450348


Here was a good bishop pair, the game was a little blocked at first so they were not very useful for a while but the power they exerted became greater and greater once the position opened up.

I had a similar structure in this game: Game 4431548

I'd tried to encourage him to trade his Bs for my Ns and was starting to regret that choice, but in the end he made a mistake that allowed me to break through. After that my Bs were so strong that I could sac my Q for mate in 3.

I had a look at that game the other day funnily enough. We should bring back the greatest games thread in this forum - that was a nice sort of combination that belongs in it.