Lets play a game of Chess

[Foxpup]

Isn't Bf4 easily contrasted with Nh5?

How can you say that when you already refuted Nh5 correctly?

If so, I don't see many options other than move our bishop back.

Right, to e3. That's not the best square for the bishop, but h5 is a far worse square for the knight, so I don't see many options for Black other than to move his knight back, wasting a tempo. The black knight is quite useless on h5, as knights on the edge of the board generally are.

[Timelord2067]

Why exactly is the Bishop better suited to f4 than the Queen?

[Foxpup]

Why exactly is the Bishop better suited to f4 than the Queen?

You're comparing two different positions, so you're asking the wrong question. The question you should be asking is, why is the f4 square better suited to those pieces since the earlier position? The answer is that since we played Nc3, Black can no longer attack f4 with Nd5, because then we can just trade knights. Thus, f4 is now safe while it wasn't before, regardless of what kind of piece we want to put there.

[Timelord2067]

OK... Bishop to f4 please.

[abacus]

If so, I don't see many options other than move our bishop back.

Right, to e3. That's not the best square for the bishop, but h5 is a far worse square for the knight, so I don't see many options for Black other than to move his knight back, wasting a tempo. The black knight is quite useless on h5, as knights on the edge of the board generally are.

Then Bf4 for me too, please.
I had the sensation there were some advantages to us with Bf4, but I am still not used to these lesser details (well, not so small details if you're playing against a GM).
Thanks for your explainations, always interesting.

Isn't Bf4 easily contrasted with Nh5?

How can you say that when you already refuted Nh5 correctly?

Sorry Foxpup, but I'm not sure if I've well understood your meaning... Did I refuted Nh5?   

[Foxpup]

11. Bf4 is unanimous.

Sorry Foxpup, but I'm not sure if I've well understood your meaning... Did I refuted Nh5?   

Refute, as in to prove incorrect or unsound. Nh5 is unsound because we can just move the bishop away, leaving the knight poorly placed. Not only was Black's move useless, it has significantly weakened his position. Or did you just figure "Black attacks the bishop, White saves the bishop, so we're equal" without considering the other effects on the position?

Beginners often make moves such as that in the hope that their equally inexperienced opponents will not see the attack (which works often enough that they don't understand what they're doing wrong), but any half-decent player would never even consider such a move. Experienced players always assume the opponent will defend correctly, and will not attack unless it gives them an advantage even if defended (or there is no defence possible). For example, Black did not play 8... b5 because he expected to take our queen (although he obviously would have if we didn't move it!), instead he did it to get his bishop out while we were busy rescuing the queen.

[abacus]

Or did you just figure "Black attacks the bishop, White saves the bishop, so we're equal" without considering the other effects on the position?

I hope you will not be deluded by me but... Yes, to be honest, that was what I intended.
I'm afraid I've used the wrong verb (to contrast with) when what I really wanted to ask was: Are we sure Bf4 is a good move? Black could easily attack with Nh5 and force us to move back.

Now I know Nh5 isn't going to happen and why. 

Beginners often make moves such as that in the hope that their equally inexperienced opponents will not see the attack (which works often enough that they don't understand what they're doing wrong), but any half-decent player would never even consider such a move. Experienced players always assume the opponent will defend correctly, and will not attack unless it gives them an advantage even if defended (or there is no defence possible). For example, Black did not play 8... b5 because he expected to take our queen (although he obviously would have if we didn't move it!), instead he did it to get his bishop out while we were busy rescuing the queen.

Yep, this should already be in my background (at least I hope), but sometimes it is hard for me to recognize a bad move, like Nh5 in this case.
When I played with friends years ago, we always let each other to move again to avoid oversights and trivial errors. We often called the check to the queen, too.

Now I'm going with a lot of CTRL-Z! 

[letsplayagame]

11. Bf4 is unanimous.

Sorry Foxpup, but I'm not sure if I've well understood your meaning... Did I refuted Nh5?   

Refute, as in to prove incorrect or unsound. Nh5 is unsound because we can just move the bishop away, leaving the knight poorly placed. Not only was Black's move useless, it has significantly weakened his position. Or did you just figure "Black attacks the bishop, White saves the bishop, so we're equal" without considering the other effects on the position?

Beginners often make moves such as that in the hope that their equally inexperienced opponents will not see the attack (which works often enough that they don't understand what they're doing wrong), but any half-decent player would never even consider such a move. Experienced players always assume the opponent will defend correctly, and will not attack unless it gives them an advantage even if defended (or there is no defence possible). For example, Black did not play 8... b5 because he expected to take our queen (although he obviously would have if we didn't move it!), instead he did it to get his bishop out while we were busy rescuing the queen.

1. Nf3     d5
2. c4      e6
3. g3      Nf6
4. Bg2    dxc4
5. Qa4+  Nbd7
6. Qxc4   c5
7. 0-0     a6
8. d3      b5
9. Qc2    Bb7
10.Nc3    Be7
11.Bf4    0-0

[Timelord2067]

a2 to a4 please.

[Taras]

I'm trying a new scheme for this round...

By plotting it this way, all the old indices are still readable... except the integrity index, which honestly is probably going to be 90%+ for the rest of the game.

Move 11 was our most confident & synchronized decision ever, so that's cool

[languagehasmeaning]

Question:

Should we be discussing our future plans or just our next move?  

I think having a plan is important but if we discuss it openly, it will be impossible to surprise our opponent. Essentially he will always know what we are planning while we can only guess what he is planning.

On the other hand if we only talk about our next move and noting else we may not end up with the best plan and our moves may end up being more reactive than proactive.

For the 12th move I still trying to decide between

12. a4     (attacking b5)
12. Rac1  (taking more control of the file)
12. Rfd1   (preparing d4)

At first I liked 12. a4 the best to induce weaknesses if black plays 12..... b4. However as foxpup pointed out when we were discussing 10. Nc3 this is unlikely to happen. Instead black may just defend by developing his queen to b6 in which case I am not sure what we have accomplished.

[actmyname]

Question:

Should we be discussing our future plans or just our next move?  

I think having a plan is important but if we discuss it openly, it will be impossible to surprise our opponent. Essentially he will always know what we are planning while we can only guess what he is planning.

On the other hand if we only talk about our next move and noting else we may not end up with the best plan and our moves may end up being more reactive than proactive.

For the 12th move I still trying to decide between

12. a4     (attacking b5)
12. Rac1  (taking more control of the file)
12. Rfd1   (preparing d4)

At first I liked 12. a4 the best to induce weaknesses if black plays 12..... b4. However as foxpup pointed out when we were discussing 10. Nc3 this is unlikely to happen. Instead black may just defend by developing his queen to b6 in which case I am not sure what we have accomplished.

I would go with a4. After Qb6 I would recommend b3.

[languagehasmeaning]

Question:

Should we be discussing our future plans or just our next move?  

I think having a plan is important but if we discuss it openly, it will be impossible to surprise our opponent. Essentially he will always know what we are planning while we can only guess what he is planning.

On the other hand if we only talk about our next move and noting else we may not end up with the best plan and our moves may end up being more reactive than proactive.

For the 12th move I still trying to decide between

12. a4     (attacking b5)
12. Rac1  (taking more control of the file)
12. Rfd1   (preparing d4)

At first I liked 12. a4 the best to induce weaknesses if black plays 12..... b4. However as foxpup pointed out when we were discussing 10. Nc3 this is unlikely to happen. Instead black may just defend by developing his queen to b6 in which case I am not sure what we have accomplished.

I would go with a4. After Qb6 I would recommend b3.

I will still vote for 12. a4 but I am curious about the reason for planning b3 after Qb6. I could understand if our bishop was still on c1 and wanted to go to b2. Now that our bishop is on f4 what is the purpose of b3?

Is your plan to move Nd1 if black plays b4 and then move the knight to b2 and c4? If so what is wrong with the same idea but moving the knight to b1, d2 and then c4 instead without needing to spend time with b3?

Even if black eventually captures on a4 I think we would prefer to take back with a piece instead of our b3 pawn anyway so that we can use the a file.

[actmyname]

I will still vote for 12. a4 but I am curious about the reason for planning b3 after Qb6. I could understand if our bishop was still on c1 and wanted to go to b2. Now that our bishop is on f4 what is the purpose of b3?

Is your plan to move Nd1 if black plays b4 and then move the knight to b2 and c4? If so what is wrong with the same idea but moving the knight to b1, d2 and then c4 instead without needing to spend time with b3?

Even if black eventually captures on a4 I think we would prefer to take back with a piece instead of our b3 pawn anyway so that we can use the a file.

We want our knight to be able to freely move as well as have options of Rac1. If we want to play Rac1 immediately after Qb6, there are Rac8 ideas looming, utilising the pin on the knight.

If black immediately captures on a4, there are possibilities of a "bind" on c4, to prevent the pawn push, limiting black's space. He'll be forced to play a5 then a4 to get queenside counterplay.

[jjacob]

Rac4.
I would like to utilize the open c file immediately, rather than try opening the a file and then controlling it.

[Taras]

I vote a4

[Foxpup]

12. Rfd1 is best. 12. a4 is premature, I think.

Should we be discussing our future plans or just our next move?  

I think having a plan is important but if we discuss it openly, it will be impossible to surprise our opponent. Essentially he will always know what we are planning while we can only guess what he is planning.

I think it's obvious to both sides that the battle will take place on the queenside, with the half-open c- and d-files and Black's queenside pawns being key. A well-timed breakthrough here will be decisive, and neither side will be terribly surprised when it happens.

At first I liked 12. a4 the best to induce weaknesses if black plays 12..... b4. However as foxpup pointed out when we were discussing 10. Nc3 this is unlikely to happen. Instead black may just defend by developing his queen to b6 in which case I am not sure what we have accomplished.

Correct. We shouldn't put the question to b-pawn just yet. We should get our rooks in position first.

I would go with a4. After Qb6 I would recommend b3.

Why? There's no progress to be made with b3.

Rac4.
I would like to utilize the open c file immediately, rather than try opening the a file and then controlling it.

Don't you mean Rac1? Also, the c-file is only half-open (there's a black pawn on c5), and we can't open it by force. We should get behind the d-file with Rfd1.

[languagehasmeaning]

12. Rfd1 is best. 12. a4 is premature, I think.

Should we be discussing our future plans or just our next move?  

I think having a plan is important but if we discuss it openly, it will be impossible to surprise our opponent. Essentially he will always know what we are planning while we can only guess what he is planning.

I think it's obvious to both sides that the battle will take place on the queenside, with the half-open c- and d-files and Black's queenside pawns being key. A well-timed breakthrough here will be decisive, and neither side will be terribly surprised when it happens.

At first I liked 12. a4 the best to induce weaknesses if black plays 12..... b4. However as foxpup pointed out when we were discussing 10. Nc3 this is unlikely to happen. Instead black may just defend by developing his queen to b6 in which case I am not sure what we have accomplished.

Correct. We shouldn't put the question to b-pawn just yet. We should get our rooks in position first.

I would go with a4. After Qb6 I would recommend b3.

Why? There's no progress to be made with b3.

Rac4.
I would like to utilize the open c file immediately, rather than try opening the a file and then controlling it.

Don't you mean Rac1? Also, the c-file is only half-open (there's a black pawn on c5), and we can't open it by force. We should get behind the d-file with Rfd1.

I would like to change my vote from a4 to Rfd1. It sounds like you agree with me that a4 does not accomplish much if black just responds with Qb6

[abacus]

Let's take control of d file with Rfd1. Can't wait to open the battle with d4.

[Timelord2067]

Let's take control of d file with Rfd1. Can't wait to open the battle with d4.

Sorry if my question is a little dense, I 'm not up with all the terminology, are you wanting to move the Rook on f1 to d1 or the Rook on a1 to d1?