C02 Frech Defense Advance Variation - Chess Forums

USMNTfan

Jan 27, 2018

0

#1

I was reviewing one of my OTB games which had the following position. I played axb4 thinking that it 1) brings a pawn closer to the center and 2) opens the a-file for my rook. Stockfish shows axb4 as being 0.75 better than cxb4.

However, when I use opening explorer this position has been reached 557 time and 555 times cxb4 was played. MCO-15 only shows cxb4, not even a footnote for axb4.

Can someone help me see what I am missing? axb4 seems obvious and the computer agrees however real people better than me only play cxb4.

Yigor

Jan 27, 2018

0

#2

BobbyTalparov wrote:

8. axb4 leaves the backwards c-pawn on a open file. This gives black a target. So, while it likely is still playable from an engine's perspective, it is not a practical choice.

But 8. cxb4 leaves the pawn d4 as a weakness and a target for black. So, without looking engines, it would be 50-50 in my own modest perspective.

TwoMove

Jan 28, 2018

0

#3

Playing 7....c5xd4 removes this possibility.