Please help peoples!
how should white continue?
Well, let's consider the the challenges:
Qxb2 - this could be problematic for white unless addressed, not unrecoverable, but certainly challenging
What about opportunities?
F7 is weak square
Likely future moves on his part in addition to threats = castling
The way I see it you pretty much need to deal with Qxb2 as a threat, and there are a few feasible ways to do that, let's start by eliminating what we can't do:
a3 - won't help
a4 - won't help
b4 - won't really help either
Nb3 - results in Bxe3+
Nb5 - results in Qxb5
Nxc6 - results in Bxc6 or perhaps worse Bxe3+
All other moves with that knight have similar negative consequences
Attacking with the e5 pawn doesn't seem to give enough options either as it will result in death via ex6, opening the king to threat from the white queen, but this is quickly addressed with g6 and leaves roughly the same situation.
The f4 pawn is similar, and the two right most pawns are also useless.
Neither rook is effective in this case, nor is the king.
This leaves seemingly two options:
b3 - my guess, white does b3 and black castles, though there are obviously other options, b3 would be the traditional response
Either Nc3 or Nd2 will also prevent the challenge by protecting the rook who is going to be threatened by Qxb2, it simultaneously threatens the black knight. However, of them, my choice is Nc3 here's why:
It is possible that it will result in an exchange, with the black knight Nxc3, however, it is possible using this option that black will still continue with Qxb2, allowing his knight to escape on the next move, this would allow white to move Na4, forking the queen and bishop, even if black decides to hold position and do something else such as castle, Na4 would allow movement of the bishop from what is a decidedly irritating spot.
Any thoughts? What would you do?
Thanks