Lets play a game of Chess

[languagehasmeaning]

We don't go and attack hit Queen. Much better is Rdc1. Just some more attacking on his pawn.

I am worried about

Rdc1 Nb4 (attacking d3 and defending c5 with his rook on c8 at the same time)

After Nb4 we could play pawn to d4. Lets trade some at the queenside.

I am not happy everyone choose for Bf4. Black plays e5 and we have to move that bishop again.

19. Rdc1 Nb4
20. d4 c4

Is very bad for us. We will lose our e4 pawn by force with your suggestion. After we move our queen on move 21 black can play Nxe4. It should be noted that we do not have to play 20. d4

Like you I don't think 19. Bf4 is that great either. I just don't see any better options

You are right that after 20. .. c4 we lose e4.

What about Rd2? We make the field d1 free for our Queen.

I can't see anything wrong with 19. Rd2 and might be convinced to change my vote.  It comes down to whether or not we actually want to encourage our opponent to play e5 or not with 19. Bf4. Either move seems acceptable.

Anyone have any good long term plans our opponent cannot easily parry? It seems like we are mostly on the defense now just trying to keep the material balance.

[gotmilk_]

I vote Bf4. I still like my e5 plan, this helps us realize it.

After Bf4 e5 I cant see anything better than moving our bishop back to e3.

I am going to vote Rd2 because it seems marginally more useful than moving our bishop back and forth. Having our rook on d2 will make it faster to double both of our rooks on the d files later to further defend d3 if needed. Black may be planning to play Nb4 and double rooks on the d file himself.

The idea is to "force" him to play e5... In this way we get a bit of space for later, despite we will be forced do play back.

I think he will offer us a trade (defend the Queen with Bishop).

[dre1982]

I vote Bf4. I still like my e5 plan, this helps us realize it.

After Bf4 e5 I cant see anything better than moving our bishop back to e3.

I am going to vote Rd2 because it seems marginally more useful than moving our bishop back and forth. Having our rook on d2 will make it faster to double both of our rooks on the d files later to further defend d3 if needed. Black may be planning to play Nb4 and double rooks on the d file himself.

The idea is to "force" him to play e5... In this way we get a bit of space for later, despite we will be forced do play back.

I think he will offer us a trade (defend the Queen with Bishop).

You maybe force him but give him a tempo. Better let him play e5 without we have to retreat.

[newb4now]

4 votes Bf4 gotmilk_ ErisDiscordia languagehasmeaning newb4now

1 vote Qa3 Timelord2067

1 vote Rdc1 dre1982

1 vote Rd2 boolberry

The next voter should update the above with the corrected totals

[newb4now]

I vote Bf4. I still like my e5 plan, this helps us realize it.

After Bf4 e5 I cant see anything better than moving our bishop back to e3.

I am going to vote Rd2 because it seems marginally more useful than moving our bishop back and forth. Having our rook on d2 will make it faster to double both of our rooks on the d files later to further defend d3 if needed. Black may be planning to play Nb4 and double rooks on the d file himself.

The idea is to "force" him to play e5... In this way we get a bit of space for later, despite we will be forced do play back.

I think he will offer us a trade (defend the Queen with Bishop).

We can hope he will play Qa7 so we can play Be3, Qb8, Bf4, Qa7, Be3, Qb8, Bf4 draw!

You are right that he may block with Bd6 instead of e5.

[dre1982]

4 votes Bf4 gotmilk_ ErisDiscordia languagehasmeaning newb4now

1 vote Qa3 Timelord2067

2 vote Rd2 boolberry

The next voter should update the above with the corrected totals

I change my vote from Rc1 to Rd2.

[languagehasmeaning]

All tied up now after I changed my vote. Someone needs to break the tie so our opponent can move.

3 votes Bf4 gotmilk_ ErisDiscordia newb4now

1 vote Qa3 Timelord2067

3 votes Rd2 boolberry dre1982 languagehasmeaning

The next voter should update the above with the corrected totals

[Hueristic]

Rd2

[XMRpromotions]

added votes of hueristic and myself.

5 votes Rd2 boolberry dre1982 languagehasmeaning, hueristic, xmrpromotions
3 votes Bf4 gotmilk_ ErisDiscordia newb4now
1 vote Qa3 Timelord2067

[gotmilk_]

I suggested Rd2 few moves back, but currently I don't know how can we help ourselves with Rd2? If anything we leave Ra1 unprotected and I bet we will need to play it back later...

[jjacob]

My vote for Nf4

5 votes Rd2 boolberry dre1982 languagehasmeaning, hueristic, xmrpromotions
3 votes Bf4 gotmilk_ ErisDiscordia newb4now
1 vote Qa3 Timelord2067
1 vote Nf4 jjacob

[Foxpup]

20. Rd2.

6 votes Rd2 boolberry, dre1982, languagehasmeaning, hueristic, xmrpromotions, Foxpup
3 votes Bf4 gotmilk_, ErisDiscordia, newb4now
1 vote Qa3 Timelord2067
1 vote Nf4 jjacob

[abacus]

20. Rd2

7 votes Rd2 (boolberry, dre1982, languagehasmeaning, hueristic, xmrpromotions, Foxpup, abacus)
3 votes Bf4 (gotmilk_, ErisDiscordia, newb4now)
1 vote Qa3 (Timelord2067)
1 vote Nf4 (jjacob)

I can understand why counting votes is a chore with the current format.  Your idea for another voting only thread (ran by someone else) is a good one. Once it is created I can link to it in the OP here.  The community can decide who the moderator (if needed) should be, so long as it is not me.

Thanks for the link proposal and sorry for my late reply.

It seems that also quoting/updating the table after every new vote is working well. Surely better than before.
Let's see how it works and in case start that new vote only thread.

If this happens we can talk more about chess in this thread without worrying about confusing the vote counters. I can post more puzzles and am willing to help analyze our current game once it is over.

That would be awesome, both the post game analysis and the puzzles!


Now, I'm curious about a thing...
Am I the only one who always thought that the aperture in the head of a Bishop piece represented a medieval armory?

It seems I was wrong...

[letsplayagame]

20. Rd2.

6 votes Rd2 boolberry, dre1982, languagehasmeaning, hueristic, xmrpromotions, Foxpup
3 votes Bf4 gotmilk_, ErisDiscordia, newb4now
1 vote Qa3 Timelord2067
1 vote Nf4 jjacob

Your move bitcointalk. You have the white pieces

The current position is updated below:

20.Rd2    Nb4

[XMRpromotions]

Now, I'm curious about a thing...
Am I the only one who always thought that the aperture in the head of a Bishop piece represented a medieval armory?

It seems I was wrong...

I never really thought about it but can see some similarities now that you mention it

[XMRpromotions]

Your move bitcointalk. You have the white pieces

The current position is updated below:

20.Rd2    Nb4

I thought Qb8 was to prepare e5 or maybe plan Qc7 putting more pressure on a5.

Looks like I was wrong again. If his queen was still on a7 we could play Qxb4 because of his c5 pawn would be pinned to his queen by our bishop on e3. Now that the pin is gone he appears to be focusing on our d3 pawn instead. I see a clever trap! He is threatening to play Rxd3 and if we recapture Rxd3 he can play c4 forking our queen and rook. We should defend our pawn again.

Either 21. Ne1 or 21. Bf4 and 22. Ne5 after he moves his queen (he no longer can play e5 after Bf4 because his knight is not protecting it and after 21. Bf4 Bd6 we could play 22. Bxd6 Qxd6 and 23. e5).

[dre1982]

I would go here for Ne1.

[Foxpup]

21. Bf4 followed by 22. Ne5 (unless 21... c4, obviously) works for me.

1 vote for Ne1 (dre1982)
1 vote for Bf4 (Foxpup)

[XMRpromotions]

21. Bf4 followed by 22. Ne5 (unless 21... c4, obviously) works for me.

1 vote for Ne1 (dre1982)
1 vote for Bf4 (Foxpup)

with the line in my prior post I was assuming he would meet Bf4 with Qa8. If instead he plays 21. Bf4 Qa7 we can also consider 22. Be3 threatening his knight on b4 because of the pin and offering a repetition of moves.

1 vote for Ne1 (dre1982)
2 votes for Bf4 (Foxpup, xmrpromotions)

[gotmilk_]

21. Bf4 or d4...

3 votes for Bf4 (Foxpup, xmrpromotions, gotmilk_)
1 vote for Ne1 (dre1982)