Who is better here?

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LosingAndLearning81
Black to move. Who is better? Not necessarily the computer evaluation - but in terms of which side you'd rather play.
 
 
The "chess area" website test says that black is better. Yes, black has the two bishops, the move, and a pawn occupying the center. But white has two pieces already developed, and even though one can be harassed while black builds a strong center with d5, white is still only one move away from castling.
 
I don't care what the test says. White's game seems much more natural and easier to handle. Black could enjoy an advantage perhaps with very accurate play, but still, I'd rather play white.
Strangemover

This is not a legal position. Where is the Bf1?

LosingAndLearning81
Strangemover wrote:

This is not a legal position. Where is the Bf1?

I just forgot to remove the pawn. The position is the same just with the e pawn removed. I went ahead and edited the post.

Monie49
I like white
Strangemover
LosingAndLearning81 wrote:
Strangemover wrote:

This is not a legal position. Where is the Bf1?

I just forgot to remove the pawn. The position is the same just with the e pawn removed. I went ahead and edited the post.

Ok cool. I have to prefer white I think just because of the awkward black king.

blueemu

I prefer Black.

He moves the f8-Bishop, moves the h8-Rook, and then plays Kg8. Now he's "castled", and he still has the Bishop pair and two center Pawns vs one.

Another plan is to just play d7-d5 immediately, retreat the King to g8, and later liberate the Rook by h7-h6 and Kh7. Check Afromeev's games... he's 2633 Elo and plays this line as Black with a lot of success.

Worth noting that out of the 513 games with this line in the 365chess data-base, Black's winning percentage is over 70%.

LosingAndLearning81

I do think that black is better - but I'd much rather play white. Maybe if I were stronger I'd prefer black, but it would seem to me that black has less margin for error, at least in the early goings.
White can later play c3 which prepares to challenge the center while at the very same time opening up a potential queen check along the a2-g8 diagonal. I have serious doubts as to the long term safety of black's king, and if one were inclined to tuck the king away immediately, the presence of the white dark square bishop pretty much takes the possibility of playing g6 off the table (unless black plans to fianchetto). 

I just think white would be easier to play - even if black is better with high level play. Speaking only for myself and my own ability, I would not be comfortable playing the black pieces against a competent opponent. I would much prefer the added king safety - even if it's partly an illusion.

 

With that said, I certainly wouldn't sweat it too much if I were playing black. I'd roll with it and do my best with the advantages that I did have. Here is a game of mine where I absolutely preferred black with an exposed king. In fact, I welcomed it, knowing ahead of time that my opponent would do that:

 

 
 Edit: I literally just realized this is the same position! And it came from one of my games!  And in the game I remember going into that line, reasoning that if black chooses to sac the bishop, black would stand much better.  Me as a player has completely contradicted me as a theorist.
 
I need to get my head checked out. I must be losing it.
MitSud
In speed chess I would take white, in a longer time control black for sure.