Position of the day

Hi, in this forum I will post a daily position, asking you to write the evaluation of the position using the tools given in my article, and offer a plan and a move.

Then, together with me, we will discuss the quality of the evaluation, and different ideas from chess that reflect in the position.

Today's position is:

So, analyze opponent threats first, then give a full evaluation, and upon that base a plan and suggest a move.

OK, I'll start the ball rolling! I'm not a very strong player, and I'm pretty new to this type of evaluation, but I'll give it a shot.

White is threatening to take my N on d4; but this is no threat, because if he takes with his N, then I trap his B when I take back with either pawn. On the other hand, if he takes with his B, he gives up the bishop pair, which favors me. 

The bigger threat that I see is fxe5, opening a nice file for his f-Rook, and also clearing a strong diagonal for his dark-squared B and his Q.  If I take back with my d-pawn, it leaves me with a weak c-pawn. 

To minimize the impact of his fxe5 move, I like f5 for my next move. Then, if he plays fxe5, I would take back Bxe5, making a strong dark-square B supported by a pawn and pointing at his weak h2. If instead he takes exf5, then I take back with my B, an improvement from its current placement at d7.

I'm pretty sure that the above is quite superficial, and that I missed a lot, but that's all I see for now.

I must say I agree almost totally with ibiwisi and disagree almost totally with Aspiring_Champ. Here are my thoughts, thinking only two/three moves deep along some likely/possible lines:

Thoughts?

Lol Ryan! you forgot my other title- leader of the free world!

I'm reading all comments, listening. It's all interesting.

About my analysis- I will soon post an analysis, which will be deliberately wrong in only a single point, which you will have to look for and discover, offering a correction.

Of course, at the end we will reach the right answer(s).

So, what do you think of this evaluation:

Well, the f file is going to be opened, so we better arrange conditions to have it open favorably for us.

If white was to move right now, and took on e5, we would end up having weak double pawns on d6 and d4, plus he could advance his e pawn activating the white bishop. so, we would like to take back on e5 with a pawn. Therefore, we should play f6, trying to keep a solid position for black. After f6, the position is roughly equal, black having a solid position in the center and the kingside, and can start thinking about queenside action, playing later a4.

Now, I remind you- find the mistake in this evaluation (also consider this way of treatment of a position in general), and offer a correction if necessary.

Ryan, the doubled pawns happen here (again, in case it was white's move, a stage of your thought process before moving, checking opponent's threats):

Is it ok, or should be prevented by f6, so you take on e5 with the e6 pawn?

Ryan,

I agree with your final statement, but the question is why going for exf is better then getting an equal solid position with f6?

Hi I'm back, thanks for the feedback Champ, your suggestion for better moves for White was good. I figured I was missing some things, this is what comes of doing chess in the wee hours of the morning before bed. I'll try to be nicer with future comments! Here's my thoughts if it is White's move first, why f6 would be a bad idea... It allows White to exclude Black from the center completely, I think.

Thoughts?

guys, we played white twice in a row to see what threats will he have if the position doesn't change. this is part of you r thought process before making a move.

so f6 is a prior move, not a response to fxe.

the question is, as we saw by playing white twice that he threatens to take fxe, then after Bxe5 Bxd4 cxd our pawns are weak. so, my question was should we take a good solid position by playing f6 when it's our move, so tha twe could take on e5 with the pawn and not the bishop, or, does black has reasons to believe he'll be vetter after more active plans such as f5?

the answer to that should be base don current and future evaluations you must make before deciding this.

I agree with all what you said in your last message, Champ.

However, about that last sentence- I don't believe you! one of my goals is to expand the limits of your knowledge guys.

So, for now we had f6 as a reasonable solid choice, f5 and exf as ambitious- and I'm still waiting for the justification for it.

Are there any other good moves for black here? in both cases- whether to strive for an advantage due to our ambition- justified or not is still unanswered, or just achieving an equal game, because we don't think that we are better or maybe we are even worse here.

Don't limit yourself, you worth more than what you think!