The Process of Decision Making in Chess Volume 2: Practice positions and solutions. Position 5.3

Hello chess students, 

Position 5.3 from the book, white's turn. 

This is an example of a somewhat more complex, hybrid threat.

In this position, black would like to use the fact that white’s king is in the center. He needs to open the center, which is possible with f6-e5.

But to benefit from the open center, he needs his king to move away and the rooks to participate; Therefore the steps are f6, 0-0-0, and then e5.

The combination sequence includes both immediate and long term threats: f6 is a preparation for a tactic, 0-0-0 qualifies as a “dangerous piece setup”, and e5 is pressure.

Challenge: is there a way for white to prevent the dangerous sequence in advance?

d5 ?

I like Ne5.

Of course, Ne5 hangs the G pawn...hmmm...

probably Ne5 too

1. Ne5 can work, since ... Bxg2 2. Rg1 Bc6 3. Rxg7, and now the f6 pawn is attacked twice, we're pressuring black's h7 pawn, and our knight is advanced well into Black's position. Furthemore, Black's f7 pawn is pinned against the unprotected c7 pawn.