Is this position lost for white?

After some comments I will post what actually happened.  Black is a 1750 rated player on chess.com.

 RxR+

Obviously, g3 can defend it.

I like the knight because it also prevents him from trading & doubling up your pawns...

Course, I've only been playing since May so hopefully you'll get better advice than from me! 

sstteevveenn wrote:

 RxR+

You've got a much higher rating than me so I'm not challenging but would like to know how trading R's does anything after that turn.  Aren't you back to the same question?

sstteevveenn wrote:

 RxR+

 what would the continuation be.

I personally would challenge his queen with the pawn jumping two. Bit of a pickle.

Chris_J wrote:

I personally would challenge his queen with the pawn jumping two. Bit of a pickle.

You would lose a bishop with that move...

Qxf4, Qxf4, Bxf4

Well I only had a quick look so there might be something better, but ...RxR is forced, then swap the bishop and nab the pawn on a6.  I  might have overlooked something though. 

what's wrong with this?

I would play Be3. everything is defended...

If you dont like the pawn grab, 3.Re1 grabbing the e file is worth looking at I think. 

Taking the a-pawn through such a combination will easily lose the pawn back after which black would have improved his position. I would probably retreat with Be3 heading for the f2 square. Note that one move threats like Qh5 can appropiately be deflected.

mvh Fredrik

I dont see how black can win the pawn back.  Pretty sure white can get away with it, thanks to the awkward black bishop and c6 pawn. 

 That's what I played.  I did end up winning this game.  I just thought that this would be a very good position to analyze, and that is why I posted it.  Here's what I saw.  I first noticed that if my Knight could somehow get to e7, I would fork his king and queen.  His Rook on E8 and Bishop on d7 are protecting the eventual forking square.  So I had an idea that if I could remove all of these defenders I would end up forking his king and queen and winning his rook.

jwhitesj

What would you do if in your second diagram after 3. Nxa6 Black plays 3. ... Bxg2? If 4. Kxg2 Qg4+  5. Kh1 Qf3+  6. Kg1 (Black has at least a draw by perpertual check and this might be best) or he can go for all the beans by 6. ... Re4. Can White hold on? If White doesn't take, the pawns are even and White still may lose. For instance 4. Re1 Rxe1  (or 4 ... Be4 with d5 later) 5. Qxe1 Be4. The question might be can White survive or is there a trick that I missed, after all in one variation Black did sac a piece?

Mike

Maybe after 6 ... Re4 7. h3 White can hold.

mnag wrote:

jwhitesj

What would you do if in your second diagram after 3. Nxa6 Black plays 3. ... Bxg2? If 4. Kxg2 Qg4+  5. Kh1 Qf3+  6. Kg1 (Black has at least a draw by perpertual check and this might be best) or he can go for all the beans by 6. ... Re4. Can White hold on? If White doesn't take, the pawns are even and White still may lose. For instance 4. Re1 Rxe1  (or 4 ... Be4 with d5 later) 5. Qxe1 Be4. The question might be can White survive or is there a trick that I missed, after all in one variation Black did sac a piece?

Mike

 I actually made a mistake putting that diagram together.  I the pawn on f2 should actually be on f3

no comments should be made on a game in progress.

Badenstein wrote:

no comments should be made on a game in progress.

 This game is not in progress.  Game ended before this thread was created.

oh wow, I just checked the game and saw c5 actually got played... Quite the blunder there.  No idea what he could have been thinking. 

sstteevveenn wrote:

oh wow, I just checked the game and saw c5 actually got played... Quite the blunder there.  No idea what he could have been thinking. 

 I think the position looked safer than it was when he played that move.  Which is what I was hoping for.  When he played c5, the queen was protecting his bishop and my pawn was blocking the attack.  With out calculating it looks like it is safe to play c5 exchange d pawns, and chase the knight away.   This little thing here brings up an important point.  Remember to look at what the board will look like after the exchange is complete.