Italian Four Knights 10...Bb4+ best move - why?
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iresignindisgust
Dec 27, 2020
0
#1
Dec 27, 2020
0
#2
(I played Black in this position) All I can see is that if 10...Bb4+ either White plays 11.c3, simply kicking the Bishop away or 11.Bd2, offering to exchange bishops - what benefit is there to Black in either of those scenarios?
I'm not familiar with the opening but I can see that c3 weakens d3 and black has a battery on the d file and the light squares bishop all pointing at d3.
Dec 27, 2020
0
#4
MarkGrubb thanks - great explanation of the c3 reply, makes sense!
Which got me thinking about the Bd2 reply - I cannot see the point of letting White's Bishop out and exchanging (or if no exchange, just letting White's Bishop out with a tempo on my Bishop).
vivement wrote:
Bb5+ allows you to weaken c3 so you could focus on it as an attack because you're good to castle queen side so after Bb5+...c3 Be7 you weaken whites queenside which would be the only place he could castle. Also if you traded Bishops if he played Bd2 trading would be good as you have less space.
Also if you exchange bishops on d2 then you are trading your bad bishop for your opponents good bishop. Your opponent has a majority of pawns on light squares making their DSB 'good'. It is more mobile. Your centre pawn is on a dark square and you may be looking to support it with a pawn on f6 making your DSB 'bad' or less mobile.