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What do you think of this position?

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ItsEoin

Here's a position in a game I got yesterday playing against a FIDE expert (~2015). He offered a draw here and I agreed, since there was still a lot of play in it and I wasn't hugely confident. It feels like my chances may be better, though, thanks to the fact that when everything comes off my passed, protected e-pawn is better than his weak, isolated h-pawn (which he'll lose if he lets it come to that).

Mako74

Me personally am thinking that your bishop would be hard to put into any good use even though the game is open. thats because you are blocking it with pawns and his pawns except h4 are on white

WilliamSchill

It seems to me that Black had better play e4 before White plants his Knight there. The Black pieces will get activity to compensate for the weak pawn. My quick hunch is that Black is OK. It will get messy, ...e4 Qe3 Nf5 etc.

Legally-Blonde

I'd play Nf5 followed by moving the king to the h-file. The bishop could be redeployed to h6.

Mandy711

You are correct in accepting the draw offer. The position is just equal IMO. Forcing to win in an equal position against a much better player would result only in loss.

ItsEoin
wschill wrote:

It seems to me that Black had better play e4 before White plants his Knight there. The Black pieces will get activity to compensate for the weak pawn. My quick hunch is that Black is OK. It will get messy, ...e4 Qe3 Nf5 etc.

I didn't even think of playing e4. My thought was that the protected passed e5-pawn was strong enough to be a major plus. Thanks for all the insights though!

Intrinsicbarbaro

white is better, black bishop will be cemented in after ne4.