Which piece blocks the check?

I played this game OTB in a tournament, and in this position, I spent a lot of time deciding on my move. I know it wasn’t a critical moment, but since I used so much time, I want to know if I could have approached it differently to make a faster decision.

I considered three moves:

1. Nc3 – I worried about my pawns getting doubled if my opponent traded, but it would open the b-file for my rook. I'm not experienced enough to judge if that position would be good.
2. Nd2 – This would save my bishop pair, but it also blocks my dark-square bishop. Even though I could castle and reposition the knight later, I didn’t like how long it would take to free my bishop.
   
   
3. Bd2 – This is what I played. Since I wasn’t confident about the first two moves, I opted for a trade to ensure my opponent wouldn’t keep the bishop pair either.
   
   

Are these thought processes reasonable, or am I overthinking? My main goal is to recognize similar positions in future games and play them more quickly.

Nc3 +1.0 Bd2 +0.9 Basically the same. Nbd2 is a lesser move.

These ± evaluation bar points you're referring to don't provide me with any useful information. I already explained my concerns about my move candidate.

Honestly what is even your question ?

There is no general answer to what piece you should use to block a check.

In this specific situation I would have moved Nc3 pretty quickly. Its an active square for the knight, which still wasnt developed. I like keeping the bishop pair if possible. If he takes, you get a pawn island thats still nicely connected. And its even one more pawn to fight for center control; in fact you attack 3 of the 4 center squares with pawns while black has NONE. And you get the field a3 for your Bc1, which might also be of interest.

This is definitely not a position you should have wasted time on.

Kf1

also dont overthink

I had the instinct of Nc3, but Bd2 is also good. The move I like less is Nbd2 since it blocks the c1 bishop and pins the d2 knight until you castle.

The main issue is if the doubled pawns worry you after Nc3 ...Bxc3 bxc3. I like your Bd2 move if you didn't understand the position with the doubled pawns (or weren't that comfortable with it). I liked the Nc3 line because your doubled pawns are not really that weak. the c3 pawn would be doubled, but it would be adding good support over d4. You may not want to push d4 too early here (weakening c4), but the c3 pawn supporting d4 helps support the center. The half-open b-file might be okay too, but more important I believe is the priority of Nc3 and getting castled soon (and then developing the rest of the pieces).

Here's one of my videos which may help you:

I see everybody saying Nc3, but really what's the point? After exchanging the minor pieces, black is in a better position with white having doubled pawns (they are a disadvantage, don't listen to the video) and a protected king with good activity and counterplay opportunities in the future.

Here, I would immediately play Bd2. It stands out easily as the best move in my opinion, because after exchanging (not exchanging would be a waste of a tempi, moving the bishop again while allowing white to develop) white captures back with knight, reinforcing the knight on f3, with an opportunity to castle and try to cramp the opponents position, especially with the queenside pawns, something impossible after making the brutal mistake to double pawns.

So yeah in similar positions definitely go with Bd2 here.

Ok, so white is a pawn up but a bit lagging in development.

Nbd2 (the other knight move is of course even worse, as you are blocking a bishop with already developed knight, so that doesn't make any sense) is a bit inferior because of 2 things. First it slows down development and white is lagging, but it has a concrete tactical problem as well. After Nbd2, black castles and breaks the pin. White castles and black has a good move - Nc5, which attacks the a4 bishop, plus it double attacks d3. It will either lose a pawn back, or white has to play d4 after which black will have a bishop pair and still better development as compensation. That is why this move is not ideal.

Bd2 is the most straightforward move, and the easiest move to make in this position. If the material was equal, Bd2 is giving you a more straightforward game as bishops will be exchanged, while Nc3 is trying to go for a more complicated game. But here white is a pawn up, so it is a very good move, clearly better than Nbd2, the development will be faster, as black will exchange bishops and develop the second knight, or he will lose time moving the bishop.

Nc3 is fine as well. Yes, sometimes people are afraid of doubled pawns, but here black would have to exchange his bishop for a knight, giving white a bishop par in the process, and these pawns are not weak. If white was left with isolated or backward pawns, it would be different, but here it is completely ok, especially with a pawn up situation. White would have a bishop pair and a pawn up position, where white has worse development but not as in the first case, so he has to be better.

the d3 pawn seems like a big long term problem, despite you are up a pawn.

how did this structure arise?

(If this is a normal position please educate me, I'm probably incorrect, maybe post the entire game?)

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Bb5+ Nbd7 5. c4 a6 6. Ba4 e6 7. dxe6 Bxe6 8.
d3 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ 10. Nbxd2 O-O 11. O-O Nc5 12. d4 Nxa4 13. Qxa4 Bd7 14. Qc2
b5 15. c5 c6 16. a4 Qc7 17. Ne5 Be6 18. Ndf3 h6 19. Ne1 Bd5 20. N1d3 Be4 21. Qd2
Nd5 22. Rfe1 Bh7 23. Nb4 Nxb4 24. Qxb4 f6 25. Nf3 Bg6 26. axb5 axb5 27. Qb3+ Bf7
28. Qe3 Rxa1 29. Rxa1 Re8 30. Qd2 Bd5 31. Re1 Ra8 32. Nh4 Qf7 33. Nf5 Qg6 34.
Ne7+ 1-0

I wouldn't worry about the doubling of the pawns. If Black wants to do that, let him! The position is already semi-open, unlike say, the Nimzo-Indian or Winawer French where Black looks to shut down the position for his knights. Here, the breaking open of the position is already done.

One thing to keep in mind with this dynamic advantage. You don't want a trade down, and you especially don't want to trade Queens. Black should be targeting for an endgame if he trades B for N to double the pawns.

Also, if he doubles your pawns, it strengthens your center and the d3 pawn is not longer a real issue. You play d4 and control the center. I would WANT BLACK to make that trade!

Nc3 is the move here.