Game of the day 25.9

Hello my friends,

I would like to show you the following game for you to express your opinion and practice your evaluation skills. It's not complete, as I want you to tell me (of course after a full evaluation of the position, like shown here without deviations or neglecting any stages) in the final position what would you recommend to play for black.

No guessing or partial answers, our goal is to study the process of decision making in chess. 

Enjoy and share your findings and opinions with me and the group.

I have taken a look at the moves and here is my analysis:

Sicillian opening, Closed variation, Grand Prix attack.

I have played it a couple of times but I know very little about it.

Threats : 

I can not see any direct threats by black or white right now. No pieces or paws hanging.

Positional analysis:

Space: White has more space on the king side. Black has more space on the queen side and a slight advantage on the center.

Development: White still has to develop his bishop, rooks are not connected and the rook on f2 could be misplaced. Black is developed but should look at how to improve the activity of the rooks and the queen. Both have castled kingside. Black is slightly ahead on development.

Piece Quality:  White has closed the a1-h8 diagonal so the black’s black bishop has a much reduced effect. Black’s bishop in d4 has one rook tided into defending c2 and it looks like the more active piece. White can only kick it out exchanging it against his c1 bishop or has to move his c3 knight to move c3. There is no good place for white’s knight to go and exchanging the c1 bishop looks like a bad idea with all the weak black squares in the kingside. Black is clearly better, could improve if clears the e5 pawn…

Material: Equality

Weak squares, columns, diagonals, etc.:

g3 is a very weak square for white and the knight could go there via f5 is it needs to. d4 is week too, obviously.

The g2-h7 diagonal could lead to tactical issues for white as the rook is on the diagonal of the king. It could be a tactical issue later but not right now.

Attacking c5 and if blacks plays b6 we would have two weak squares in c6 and a6. There are no open files.

Pawn structure: White pawn structure kingside is very weak. Black squares around the king are weak Black pawn structure is fine. 

Let’s look at black moves:

14 …  a5 launching a pawn storm towards the queenside.

14 …  f6 trying to open the a1-h8 diagonal.

15. exf6  exf6 (this opens the d file towards white queen and allows later for f5 stopping whites f5.

On my case I prefer f6 as I think that opening that diagonal will allow black to better attack the queen side afterwards and will improve his bishop quality.

I don’t know if it was asked but I prefer black position. I don’t know the theory but move 11 h3 looks like a bad move for white. Weakening the kingside and allowing the black knight to take place at d4.

Well, that’s all my brain can come with today.

Good stuff

I add

Knight on e4 is difficulty. Would expect Be4 to remove him but only after g2-g4 which blocks retreat to f5.

I would try to hit at white king when pawns come forward. E7-e6 looks good alternative to f6 because it supports center and gives queen a diagonal to h4. Queen needs to be released from protection of e5.

In combination with h7-h5 and Bh6 we can put pressure on the white king side. But h5 looks first priority to protect knight outpost. Would choose h7-h5 with threat h4

On the methodology that is used, i am new but i allways try :

Is my king ok - is their king ok?

What is possible involving checks, captures and then threats

Helps me a bit more than just the notion threats : kings,checks,captures,threats ...

regarding general methodology for process of decision making in chess- check the provided link above.

regarding process of threats detection and search for tactics- look for:

1) checks.

2) captures.

3) moves that create pressure (pressure- when a piece or pawn attack a square occupied by opponent's pawn or piece, creating control or contest over that square).

4) moves that create tension (tension- when there is a situation either between pawns or between pieces in which both sides can capture but neither sides obliged to do so. for example we can see in slav structures tension between white's c4 pawn and black's d5 pawn).

maintaining that order is also important, go step by step.