Disagreeing with your chess computer

[Derek Sinclair]

1.g4 e5 2.Bg2 d5 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 e4 6.Qb3 Ne7 7.d4 Nbc6 8.e3 g6 9.g5 Qb6 10.Nxd5 Qxb3 11.Nf6+ Kd8 12.axb3 Be6 13.Nxe4 Bxb3 14.Nc5 Bd5 15.Bxd5 Nxd5 16.Nxb7+ Kc7 17.Nc5 Bxc5 18.dxc5 Ndb4 19.Kf1 Nd3 20.Bd2 Nxb2 21.Bc3 Rhb8 22.Nf3 Nc4 23.Nd4 Nxd4 24.exd4 Rb3 25.Rc1 Rab8 26.d5 Rb1 27.Kg2 Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Rb5 29.Bd4 Na5 30.Be5+ Kd7 31.c6+ Kc8 32.Rd1 a6 33.Bf6 Nc4 34.d6 Nb6 35.d7+ *


I'm playing the Grob as white this year as just having fun.

My chess computer is obviously better than me but I have 2 questions.

Move 10. Why is Nxd5 so bad? Computer thinks that 10...Nxd5, 11.Qxd5 Bb4+ 12.Kf1 Qa6+ 13.Ne2 Bf5 is good for black.


move 24. Why does the computer think I should recapture with the bishop and not the pawn? Pawn gives me 2 connected passed pawns that turned out be monsters and win the game.

Thank you
D

[Roger de Coverly]

SetUp "1"] [FEN "r1b1kb1r/pp2np1p/1qn3p1/3N2P1/3Pp3/1Q2P3/PP3PBP/R1B1K1NR b KQkq - 0 10"]

Move 10. Why is Nxd5 so bad? Computer thinks that 10...Nxd5, 11.Qxd5 Bb4+ 12.Kf1 Qa6+ 13.Ne2 Bf5 is good for black.

It likes the resulting position for Black at move 14 where the White KIng is unsafe and White will struggle to complete development.

[SetUp "1"] [FEN "rr6/p1k2p1p/6p1/2P3P1/2nP4/2B5/5P1P/R4K1R b - - 0 24"]

move 24. Why does the computer think I should recapture with the bishop and not the pawn? Pawn gives me 2 connected passed pawns that turned out be monsters and win the game.

It would like to hold the d5 square, stopping the advance of the pawn and shutting in the dark square bishop. Thus Black's next move would be .. Kc6 or perhaps .. Rd8.

[Derek Sinclair]

SetUp "1"] [FEN "r1b1kb1r/pp2np1p/1qn3p1/3N2P1/3Pp3/1Q2P3/PP3PBP/R1B1K1NR b KQkq - 0 10"]

Move 10. Why is Nxd5 so bad? Computer thinks that 10...Nxd5, 11.Qxd5 Bb4+ 12.Kf1 Qa6+ 13.Ne2 Bf5 is good for black.

It likes the resulting position for Black at move 14 where the White KIng is unsafe and White will struggle to complete development.

[SetUp "1"] [FEN "rr6/p1k2p1p/6p1/2P3P1/2nP4/2B5/5P1P/R4K1R b - - 0 24"]

move 24. Why does the computer think I should recapture with the bishop and not the pawn? Pawn gives me 2 connected passed pawns that turned out be monsters and win the game.

It would like to hold the d5 square, stopping the advance of the pawn and shutting in the dark square bishop. Thus Black's next move would be .. Kc6 or perhaps .. Rd8.

Thank you

Regarding point 2,Do you think most human minds would see it the computer's way? Getting 2 connected past pawns looks like a non brainer when there are no tactics in the air.

[Roger de Coverly]

Regarding point 2,Do you think most human minds would see it the computer's way? Getting 2 connected past pawns looks like a non brainer when there are no tactics in the air.

I think it depends how much you use the concept of the "bad bishop" where the bishop is blocked in by pawns of its own colour. So instantly I spotted the d5 square and noticed that the Black King could occupy it. That said, hitting the Bishop first with .. Rb3 may be a better move order, so the a8 Roook can come to d8. However the Rook may want to stay on a8 to support the plan of a5,a4,a3,a2,a1=Q. Playing the King to d5 also anchors the Knight on c4.

[Derek Sinclair]

Regarding point 2,Do you think most human minds would see it the computer's way? Getting 2 connected past pawns looks like a non brainer when there are no tactics in the air.

I think it depends how much you use the concept of the "bad bishop" where the bishop is blocked in by pawns of its own colour. So instantly I spotted the d5 square and noticed that the Black King could occupy it. That said, hitting the Bishop first with .. Rb3 may be a better move order, so the a8 Roook can come to d8. However the Rook may want to stay on a8 to support the plan of a5,a4,a3,a2,a1=Q. Playing the King to d5 also anchors the Knight on c4.

all very sensible and yes I can see the bad bishop clear as day now.