Who has the advantage?

Originally posted by HFRorbis
if Qe6+ then
.... Kh8
Qxd7 Rad8
Qb5 (only solution to avoid d Queen and d1 King and threatenning c5 Bishop) Rfe8+
Kf1 (only solution) Rd1++
check mate !

edit:- nevermind.

Originally posted by jfkjmh
This position looks interesting!
My guess is that the answer is no. Due to the uncastled king, white should probably try to resist the temption of winning material and aim for 0-0-0 with Bd2. After 1.Bd2 I prefer the white position, but I don't think that a win can be forced.

I agree
Bd2 is good
or Be3
Bd2 and Be3 are the best moves for whites because of the king that not protected and that makes a losing game for whites

Nd7 ..is a losing move for whites
Bxe6 is also a losing move for whites

Originally posted by Shinidoki
edit:- nevermind.

does it mean that I am right for this line ?

Originally posted by HFRorbis
does it mean that I am right for this line ?

There are at least 3 of us now saying the correct move is Bd2 that I believe is the strongest move for white

Originally posted by stevetodd
There are at least 3 of us now saying the correct move is Bd2 that I believe is the strongest move for white

Nd7 is out of the running,

however I'm not sure Bd2 is best.

IMO Nf3 also looks good.

Originally posted by Shinidoki
Nd7 is out of the running,

however I'm not sure Bd2 is best.

IMO Nf3 also looks good.

I very strongly disagree for the reasons that I have already stated i.e. the knight is doing a good job hindering black's development on it's current square, black's response of Bf7 (to Bf3) defends the attack and also white needs at some point to develop his black bishop and castle, so now is the time whilst black is experiencing problems mobilising his pieces, so for me it's defianately Bd2.

I'm glad to see higher rated players are also having problems with this one 🙂

I see a lot of Nd7 answers. Nd7 is a blunder.

1.Nd7 Nxd7 2.Qxe6+ Kh8 3.Qxf6 Nxf6 and black has the advantage. White has to worry about his king and how to develop, open files etc...

This problem is from 1001 Renfields Combination and sacs. I think 1/5 problems are wrong, someone else mentioned 1/10, but regardless this is an instructive one and I do believe the solution is Ng4. It's not winning or anything but still the best move.

1.Ng4 is the best move for white. It makes sense to me but the following positions are pretty =.

Agree, disagree? what do you think the resulting varations are after 1.Ng4?

Originally posted by stevetodd
There are at least 3 of us now saying the correct move is Bd2 that I believe is the strongest move for white

add me into that group of Bd2 supporters

I suppose that Ng4 and Nf3 are playable...but I am against retreating the knight from its strong post without being provoked.

Originally posted by tmetzler
This is just a quick look, but Nd7 wins a piece for white at the very least.

Nd7!! Nb8xNd7
Bc4xBe6+ Kh8
Be6xNd7 Winning a piece for white

1.Nd7?? Bb4+!

Originally posted by RahimK
I'm glad to see higher rated players are also having problems with this one 🙂
the solution is Ng4.
1.Ng4 is the best move for white. It makes sense to me but the following positions are pretty =.
Agree, disagree? what do you think the resulting varations are after 1.Ng4?

Wow, after this post I just had to look again. I still partly disagree.

1.Ng4 fg: 2.Qe6:+ (2.Be6:+ doesn't help whites problems) Kh8
3.Qf6: Queen exchange instead of castling, so the line is playable. gf:
(Rf6: leaves black with doubled pawns)
The idea is Re8+ to get the open file and prevent white from castling.
I agree that this position is pretty =

1.Bd2 preparing to castle queenside (assuming it's still a legal move)Kh8 Moving away from the tactical diagonal
2.0-0-0 The king is finally safe.
Whites idea is Bc3 with active pieces.
I still prefer white's position. Don't you? Is Bd2 not better?

But then, you have the book. Please enlighten us 🙂
I'm reday to learn!

Originally posted by RahimK
...
1.Ng4 is the best move for white. It makes sense to me but the following positions are pretty =.

Agree, disagree? what do you think the resulting varations are after 1.Ng4?

Agreed. I Didn't consider N-g4 originally.

N-g4,exg4,Bxe6+,K-h8,Qxg4 leaving White with some kingside attacks (this seems best for Black to me)?

N-g4,Bxc4,Nxf6+ losing Blacks Queen

N-g4,Q-e7,Bxe6+,K-h8 losing blacks bishop (I think.. there is counterplay here)

N-g4,Q-h4,N-f2,...,Bxe6 losing blacks bishop again and accomplishing nothing for Black..

Originally posted by tomtom232
1.Nd7?? Bb4+!

1.Nd7? Nxd7 is best.

Then follows

2.Qxe6+ Kh8 3.Qxf6 Nxf6 and black has the advantage.

Originally posted by jfkjmh
Wow, after this post I just had to look again. I still partly disagree.

1.Ng4 fg: 2.Qe6:+ (2.Be6:+ doesn't help whites problems) Kh8
3.Qf6: Queen exchange instead of castling, so the line is playable. gf:
(Rf6: leaves black with doubled pawns)
The idea is Re8+ to get the open file and prevent white from castling.
I agree that this position is pretty ...[text shortened]... d2 not better?

But then, you have the book. Please enlighten us 🙂
I'm reday to learn!

I don't have the book. I just have the puzzles without the solution. The line you gave is the best line for White I belive:

1.Ng4 fxg4 2.Qe6+ Kh8 3.Qxf6 gxf6 etc...

Here is pretty equal. 2...Qxe6 is bad because it drops a pawn to 3.Bxe6+ and the g4 pawn drops.

I don't believe Bd2 is better than Ng4 but it is a reasonable move. To me it's to slow and by getting some pieces off the board, especailly the dangerous queen, White's king gets more safety.

So i think Ng4 is the best move here.

Originally posted by jfkjmh
1.Bd2 preparing to castle queenside (assuming it's still a legal move)Kh8 Moving away from the tactical diagonal
2.0-0-0 The king is finally safe.
Whites idea is Bc3 with active pieces.
I still prefer white's position. Don't you? Is Bd2 not better?

I agree with jfkjmh.

Taking a quick look here...

Ng4 doesn't look as good.

It looks like White may win a pawn by playing Ng4, but if White takes the pwn - his King remains uncastled - and may not be able to castle, and will be behind in development (Ng4, fxg4, Bxe6, Kh8, Bxg4?, Nc6)

The Nd7 tactic may only work if black moves his knight to Nc6 and the Black king stays on Kg8. So the Nd7 tactic does not look feasible here.

Originally posted by Sickboy
Agreed. I Didn't consider N-g4 originally.

N-g4,exg4,Bxe6+,K-h8,Qxg4 leaving White with some kingside attacks (this seems best for Black to me)?

N-g4,Bxc4,Nxf6+ losing Blacks Queen

N-g4,Q-e7,Bxe6+,K-h8 losing blacks bishop (I think.. there is counterplay here)

N-g4,Q-h4,N-f2,...,Bxe6 losing blacks bishop again and accomplishing nothing for Black..

I'm just looking at the first line you gave. The rest I'm not considering since they aren't the best moves for black so I won't look at them.

The first line isn't the best for white.

1.Ng4 fxg4 2.Bxe6+ Kh8 3.Qxg4 Re8 and that bishop is gone since it's pinned. The white king causes a lot of trouble.

That's why you have to play 2.Qxe6+ instead of Bxe6+ . Picking up pawns isn't that important when you king isn't safe. King safety is number 1.