Move 10. Conditional Move Threat

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andrewlong

At the time of writing, Qc7 has a 40 vote lead on dxc4. This is probably enough to assume we should develop our lines after 9. Qc7. White's book move is 10. cxd5, which leaves us only one real choice 10... exd5. However, according to chesstempo.com (http://chesstempo.com/gamedb/player/153399) he has played 10. Bb2 twice (1/2-1/2 both games), 10. cxd5 once (1-0) and 10. h3 once (1-0).

Discussion for each of several of his move 10 options is then necessary. Again, the things to look at to improve our position and leverage any advantages we currently have are

(1) how do we develop our LSB -- the bishop is no longer blocked in, by h3 will prevent a pin/attack on the knight and f5 is currently attacked by his LSB.

(2) how do we improve our knight(s) -- Nf6 will likely be looking for a strong central post, Nc6 will likely be placed somewhere queen side, if it moves anytime soon at all, but can also maneuver elsewhere via Ne7

(3) how do we minimize the effectiveness of his DSB -- he will need to make the first here; whether he wants to break it free along the c1-h6 diagonal, or try for Bb2 or Ba3.

TheRealDeal95

And what do we play if he play 10. Bb2?

andrewlong

vegetableman - in the h3 line (this kind of applies to almost all non-cxd5 lines though) can you expound on why Na5 is offsides for too long (as you said). I see what you mean, in that its purpose is to force cxd5, and after that it is not doing much and needs to be rerouted somewhere (its only forward motion will lead to an exchange of knight for their bad bishop, and it takes two moves to get the knight to e7).

 

I am just having a hard time trying to weigh the advantages of having pawns on c4 and d5 with the advantages of the better place c6 knight. 

 

The advantages I see to  Na5 is that pawns on c4 and d5 severely limit the scope of whites LSB and do not allow many outlets for white DSB. I think the move to go off database entirely is move 13. after 10. h3 Na5 11. cxd5 exd5 12. a4 c4 13. Bc2 Nc6 (not Ne4 allowing a bad trade that gives white a passed pawn that we have to start dealing with). If 13. Be2 I think 13... Ne4 is a good option. 

andrewlong

What I was thinking was it hops back to its original square, then to e7, but it may be getting there too late.

 

I like the Nd5 concept, because, in regards to Ne4, I may be wrong, but I have looked at about a dozen games and I have come to the conclusion that Ne4 should not be played if whites bishop is on c2 and can capture. The resulting passed pawn always becomes too much of a liability and black has to play defense until either white wins or the game is drawn.

 

One question remaining with Ne7 is that nothing forces cxd5 then, and I expect he will not play it. What will he play though? Qc2, Bb2, and a knight move all seem playable. Eventually, we may be stuck playing dxc4, and we'll have a completely different game.