Decision making in chess

Interestingly how wrongly people are assessing this position and what unoptimal moves they are choosing, even SF.

Black has SIGNIFICANT advantage here, maybe it's not a win, maybe it is, no time to check further.

The correct plan is to pawn-storm on the king side by ...g6-g5 and ...f5-f4, simultaneously relying on some tactical resources ( the weak d4-pawn).

This will build a powerful pawn roll on the king side, very difficult to neutralise.

Bringing up the rook to the king side is to be considered to strengthen the attack via either f8 or g8.

All black should watch for is white rook penetration on c8 after possible doubling.

The white pawns on the queen side are more or less stuck.

So yes, ...g6-g5 is by far the best move here.

a5 is your only chance, anything else just let's white improve while you have to sit. I disagree with the computer evaluation after a5 from a practical point of view. Whites rooks get very active and will have some threats/pressure vs The black king. Black will have to tread carefully. Bd6 is pretty bad, you are exchanging one of whites pieces that at best restricts your position, while also strengthening the exchange he is up. Without a5 you don't have enough to attack while white can easily improve. It's one thing to keep the position closed when your opponent cant do anything, it's another thing when sitting leaves you with no play while your opponent strengthens his position.

I wouldn't expect to win as black (IIRC the engine was saying it's equal-ish) but I'd be too afraid to try and fortress. I'd rather stir something up on the queenside so that white's kingside play and c file don't start to generate something dangerous.

Give it more time.

Play ...g5, or ...Be7 first and then ...g5, let SF run for an hour, and then draw your conclusions again.

Even top engines are not very good at more subtle/complex positions.

I have been investigating similar setups a lot, and I can vouch Black is either winning, or having large advantage above (no time to check now).

But you should play ...g5 and then ...f4

A major principle is you should attack where you are strong.

Where is Black stronger - on the Q- or K-side?

Of course, on the king side.

It's 5 vs 4 pawns there, and those black pawns on the king side are all Quality pawns, connected and advanced.

Advance them a bit more, and white will start cracking.

Btw., ...g5 also prepares a nice safe haven square for the black king on g6, where he is perfectly fine.

Later, black can continue with ...h5-h4 depending on circumstances.

White will probably push h2-h4 as best preventive try, but black is fully ok after ...h6

You need 30-40 moves to be fully certain how this plays out, seems to be a borderline position between win and draw.

You know how many times SF evals have started at 0.0 and ended at +500cps!

Or vice-versa.

So, careful with engines.