You could have played 9...Bb7 too, if you don't develop the bishop to a6 or b7 then 5...b6 is somewhat dubious. Your a8 rook could go to the d or e file as well. White's position is very bad, he's behind in material, development, space, center control and king safety, so you could easily push at the center or go for a checkmate while White's still not developed instead of trying to open the queenside.
(By the way, White's play in this game is not agressive at all, rather it's quite passive)
Your plan is very strong if white is forced to capture the bishop. However, if white had comprehended this plan your rook might look a little silly siting behind the b6 pawn. The most typical and strongest plans involve rapid development and also not relying on your opponent to make mistakes.
Your plan is very strong if white is forced to capture the bishop. However, if white had comprehended this plan your rook might look a little silly siting behind the b6 pawn. The most typical and strongest plans involve rapid development and also not relying on your opponent to make mistakes.
Hmm, is it ok that I played the move in order to deter him from taking the bishop? He was obviously going to exchange them had I not done that. The only way I was going to trade away my monster bishop was if I got a pawn for it (and an isolated a pawn)
The idea was that white would be forced to trade his dark square bishop against my monster dark bishop. The computer doesn't even seem to consider Rb8, even though this clearly won me the game far down the road, because I knew that rook would become active the moment he was forced to capture the dark square bishop.
Also, the computer doens't seem to care about 6 b6 either, even though it allows me to attack his queen with dark bishop and opens space (possible fiancetto) for my light square bishop. This is the game that finally got me promoted to 1500+.
Also, I've been noticed that players in this 1500 bracket really play super agressive, it's almost mindless sometimes.