The follow up to Nxe5 fxe5 is Qh5+ and that attack is very hard to defend. You immediately win back one pawn from e5 and often the rook from h8, too. The lesson: f6 does not protect the pawn on e5. (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6 is known as Damiano defence, but Damiano some 400 years ago strongly advised not to play f6 and got his name attached with the move anyways.)
Why would this move be considered best?
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Mar 11, 2021
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#3
Here is a bit more detailed picture. But in any case, that is a pattern you might want to memorize. In many case when someone plays e5 and f6 it is a good idea to sacrifice and attack uncastled king.
Mar 11, 2021
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#4
Hi! My name is Lauren Goodkind and I’m a chess coach based in California. My website is www.ChessByLauren.com.
When your opponent moved to f6, then he opened up the king’s diagonal. After Nxe5, and after black recaptures the knight, then you move Qh5+.
Remember, moving the black pawn to f6 is risky when the king is still in the middle. If you are white, moving the pawns to f3 or f4 is risky since that opens up the king’s diagonal and that’s not good.
I hope that this helps.
Mar 11, 2021
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#5
Wow thanks for that. I'm sure the way my opponent played he would've considered the Knight move a blunder and captured it. Then Qh5+ would as I can see be pretty devastating.
That's another one in the memory bank if I see it again.
Mar 11, 2021
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#6
Yeah and if he doesn't take, you are still a lot better. His king remains weak, he can't pull the f pawn back to f7 and you are a pawn up.
Mar 11, 2021
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#7
I'm not sure what other move would be good for Black after Nxe5. Bd6, Nc6, d6 or Qe7?
Mar 11, 2021
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#8
Nothing is really good, black is in the world of hurt if white doesn't mess up (of course that can happen, don't get me wrong). But for instance if he plays g6, instead of taking the pawn, you don't have a check so you have to retreat the knight or else he would take it on the next move. Even then the position is unclear because his king is weakened (but he could be ok there if you don't retreat the knight and let him take it). Apart from g6 he could play Ne7, and again if you don't retreat the knight, he could take it and on Qh5+ he could block with Ng6. Perhaps there are other moves, but none of those give him anything special if you are careful.
Don't worry folks this isn't another thread in which I whinge about anything, just a genuine question about a move the computer suggested would have been best.
In this one I play White. I play 4. Bc4. The computer says I should've played Nxe5. It also says I should've played this on the next move. Now the moves I actually made might not have been good, but I'm scratching my head as to why I would exchange a Knight for a pawn when I don't need to.
Of course my opponent would simply grab my Knight with 4....fxe5. (I think I've written that correctly.
Can anyone shed some light on this? Would it prove vital later in the game? Usually I can see what the computer is suggesting, I'm at a loss with this one.