Author: Russell Reagan
Date: 02:37:05 07/09/04
Go up one level in this thread
On July 08, 2004 at 22:01:58, Dann Corbit wrote: >My question is this: >Is there some well known theory about why Bd3 is better than Bf4? I am curious >as to why Bd3 is universally chosen over Bf4 by the strongest engines/humans. [D]r2qkbnr/pp1npppb/2p4p/7P/3P4/5NN1/PPP2PP1/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 9 I think 1. Bf4 Qb6 causes white enough work (without much upside) to prefer 1. Bd3. I'm going to assume we're talking about theory here, that top flight GMs are playing, and make some assumptions. If we're not talking about that level of play then there are plenty of playable moves and it doesn't matter if Bd3 or Bf4 is better. One interesting problem I see is: Where does white castle? Castling kingside doesn't look appealing to white. The h-pawn is long gone. Ideally white would like to castle queenside (assumption). 1.Bf4 Qb6, threatening the white b-pawn. White can defend the b-pawn directly in four ways: Rb1, Qb1, Qc1, and Bc1. Let's look at these. 2.Rb1 gives up the a-pawn after 2...Qa5+, not to mention castling queenside is now impossible. 2.Qb1 and the white queen is passive and white can't castle queenside anytime soon. It will take two moves to clear the way for castling now. In addition it has the same drawbacks of Qc1. Might as well play 2.Qc1 if choosing to defend with the queen. 2. Qc1 and black's light squared bishop on h7 is looking good. Bd3 is no longer immediatley playable for white. Now white is wishing he could trade light squared bishops. 2.Bc1 and white wasted a move. Castling is delayed even longer, with two pieces in the way. All of these moves do nothing to help white castle anytime soon, and cause other difficulties. If white chooses to defend the b-pawn, I think the advantage of the first move is gone and black has some chances to get something going. The other option is to give up the b-pawn and try to get compensation. The best chance here is 2.Bd3 threatening to trade light squared bishops, and misplace black's king rook on h7 if black takes the b-pawn. 2.Bd3 Qxb2 3.Bxh7 Rxh7 looks interesting. White will have the initiative for a quite a while. So far I can't find a way for black to keep the pawn in the long run with that line. Another line is 2.Bd3 Bxd3 3.Qxd3 Qxb2, which seems much better for black. In this line, I think black may be able to hold on to the pawn and eventually gain an advantage, or equalize at the least. The last idea is to go against my original assumption that white doesn't want to castling kingside. Maybe something like: 1. Bf4 Qb6 2. Qc1 Ngf6 3. Be2 e6 4. O-O and white is okay. I think playing Bd3 initially is better though, because if white castles kingside there are still a few annoyances like trading light squared bishops. So maybe 1. Bf4 Qb6 2. b3 Ngf6 3. Bd3 Bxd3 4. Qxd3 with O-O to follow is good enough. One line that bothers me is 1. Bf4 Qb6 2. b3 Ngf6 3. Bd3 Nd5, leaving white with either 4. Be3 Nxe3 5. fxe3, with both kingside and queenside castled positions are a little shaky, or 4. Bc1, and now Bf4 was kind of a wasted move. Playing Bf4 may be okay with best play, but there is more risk involved and less room for error for white in most lines, and what is the upside? Bd3 seems better to me. A clear path and no real disadvantages. It's late. I hope I didn't miss anything obvious. I'll see if I still like what I wrote in the morning :)
This page took 0 seconds to execute
Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700
Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.