Move 11

[Brian-E]

If we're voting now, my vote goes for 11...Bb7 on the grounds that I would like to prevent them from playing e5, keeping our long diagonal open for our dark squared bishop. If 11...Bb7 12.Nf3 Nc6 stops them playing e5 for the time being.

[richs]

Nc6 results in a fractured open pawn structure while Bb7 is more structured. I've decided I prefer Bb7.

[henryzz]

Looks like Bb7 it is.

I just realized I got my dates muddled. We have until saturday(too early for me) to post. I though we had a day or 2. I was looking at brian's first post in this thread. When shall I post? Should we discuss more?

[Brian-E]

[QUOTE=henryzz;355598]I just realized I got my dates muddled. We have until saturday(too early for me) to post. I though we had a day or 2. I was looking at brian's first post in this thread. When shall I post? Should we discuss more?[/QUOTE]
Yep, I was a little too enthusiastic when I started the thread. They were still deep in thought.:smile:

In my opinion we should hold off for a while. It's not an obvious move this time, and any of us may come up with some new insights. I don't feel at all sure myself, yet, about what I think.

[paulunderwood]

Another reason why I like Bb7 is that it frees the rook on b8 to move to an open file if needed. :smile:

[henryzz]

[QUOTE=paulunderwood;355607]Another reason why I like Bb7 is that it frees the rook on b8 to move to an open file if needed. :smile:[/QUOTE]
Yes but it does prevent us from protecting our b pawn if we do b4.

[Brian-E]

[QUOTE=henryzz;355608]Yes but it does prevent us from protecting our b pawn if we do b4.[/QUOTE]
After the sequence 11...Bb7 12.Nf3 Nc6 (I think this move is more urgent than Rich's 12...Ne7 for reasons which include preventing White's move e5) followed by 13...a5, I think the knight is ultimately a better piece to arrive on b4 than the rook, so the issue of the rook's protection of b4 is not so important in my opinion. However you do have a point because we probably will indeed want to unblock the b-file for the rook before we play ...b4. (Alternatively, if they play c2-c3, we may go for the move ...a5-a4 instead, with the manoeuvre Nc6-a5-b3 in the pipeline.) There is, I think, no hurry for ...b4 or ...a4 though: we would probably play ...Ne7 and ...O-O first so that both rooks are ready to attack on the queenside, as Paul hints.

The move 11...Bb7 does indeed block the b file temporarily. But we should have time later on to sort that out and unblock it. Meanwhile, I think that preventing White from playing e5, which 11...Bb7 in conjunction with 12...Nc6 achieves, is very desirable.

[henryzz]

You are going a long way to convincing me that Bb7 is better than Nc6 now.

[richs]

I had looked at 11...Bb7 12.Nf3 Nc6 in addition to the lines I posted earlier and had thought it a hair better to get ready to castle, but upon further reflection, I think Brian is correct about 12...Nc6.

[paulunderwood]

How do we fair if 11...Bb7 12.Nc3 ?

[Brian-E]

[QUOTE=paulunderwood;355809]How do we fair if 11...Bb7 12.Nc3 ?[/QUOTE]
I hadn't really considered that move so far. It would be tempting to go for 11...Bb7 12.Nc3 b4?! but I think the advantage has definitely passed to White after 13.axb4 cxb4 14.Rxa5 bxc3 15.b3 (not 15.bxc3?? Bxc3+ or 15.Rxa7?? cxb2) a6 16.Ne2 preparing d4 (if immediately 16.d4 f5). Our queenside initiative is over, our pawn on c3 is very weak, and they have all the fun in the centre.

So it would seem that we should reply to 12.Nc3 with a modest move like 12...a6 or 12...Ba8, and I think this is fine for us: the knight on c3 has stopped their c pawn moving to c3 and is itself a target of attack when we play ...b4 (after due preparation).