Help me convert a small advantage.

[DiggertheDog]

Hero is black
24.....bf5 (from c8)
So white to move.

I have eeked out one pawn and my assessment is that I have exposed his king and currently have close to a winning advantage. But if I liquidate the position too much I am concerned that his exposed king will actually become a strong piece with a central position.

What are some of the key objectives Black should have in this position?

[ohsnapzbrah]

You sure it's not a 2 pawn advantage?

The first thing I'd wanna do as black is to keep his king on the third rank. Get a b6-c5 mini chain to keep white out of d4. Then move our king up to g6 with another pawn chain on h6-g5. When this is done, we should penetrate white's position by doubling up on one of the two open files. I even think if we accomplish the main goal, we should be able to just find a way to trade rooks off and it should become an easy win for us.

[Do it Right]

Did you make a mistake in the diagram? Just Bxc2 here with a4 to follow and white can resign.

[ganstaman]

Originally Posted by Do it Right

Did you make a mistake in the diagram? Just Bxc2 here with a4 to follow and white can resign.

It's white's move. Black just played ...Bf5.

[DiggertheDog]

Sorry its two pawns adv and white to move.

[wlrs]

Yeah you identified what possible is the main danger (besides letting his rooks on the seventh or something like that), which is trading the rooks carelessly and letting his king waltz into your pawn structure via c5. Just make sure that doesn't happen, attack things, trade down when the chances come and win easily.

[TexAg06]

Originally Posted by wlrs

Yeah you identified what possible is the main danger (besides letting his rooks on the seventh or something like that), which is trading the rooks carelessly and letting his king waltz into your pawn structure via c5. Just make sure that doesn't happen, attack things, trade down when the chances come and win easily.

Pretty much what he said. With an extra pawn on each side of the board, it's tough to go wrong here. Just make sure your king is active and trade down when you can and you're golden.

Ideally you'd like to get into a king and pawn ending because that's the most easily winnable, but getting a pair of rooks off the board should be your top exchange priority I think. Getting rid of at least one pair of rooks really frees up your king and takes away his swindle chances.

[meekrab]

Uhhh this is not a 'small' advantage. Just trade pieces and don't fall for any tactics.

[RFW3]

You've got pretty much a winning advantage, just be patient and bring it home. I don't see very much for white, but he's not going to give you that pawn on c2, and will more than likely play 25. Bd3.

You've no reason to want to trade off the bishops with your pawns on both sides of the board, so 25... Bh3! will chop off the rooks ( Possible continuatiion: 26. Rxf8 Kxf8 27. Kd4 b6 28. Re1 Rd8 29. Re5 Kf7...) and from here it's a simple matter of squeezing him until he pops.

[Kittens]

This is a two pawn advantage. If Black can swap all rooks it's a trivial win (with only same coloured bishops, even 1 pawn is usually decisive). Removing one pair of rooks will still help.
The idea of Bh3 looks good to me, it will either force rook swaps or give your rook dominant play. His bishop has little freedom.

[gambit8888]

Why did you not trade the F rook first before you played ...bf5?

[DiggertheDog]

I wanted to play Bae8 and I think that bf5 helps to make Kd4 harder.

[RFW3]

Originally Posted by DiggertheDog

I wanted to play Bae8 and I think that bf5 helps to make Kd4 harder.

You mean Rae8?



Preventing the white king from moving to d4 is as simple as putting your pawn on c5, however that really isn't something to worry about in this position. You won't have to worry about his king being central and powerfull seeing as he'll have to use his king to defend his back rank in the face of your advancing pawn(s) once you break through with your pawn majority and create that passer.

[gambit8888]

Originally Posted by DiggertheDog

I wanted to play Bae8 and I think that bf5 helps to make Kd4 harder.

If you take the rook first, White must take back. Then you can still play the bishop move. You end up in the same spot, yet less one rook for each side.

I personally would have tried to trade both rooks and the bishops asap and got done to king and pawns. You already had enough of an advantage to lock up a win imo.

[DiggertheDog]

If I swap off the rooks first he would get access to c4 and I cannot take given I don't want him with a Bc4 post and a rook on f-file as it would make it hard for me to get to the centre as if I get my rook to the f-file to swap if off and we just have bishops my King will be on f8 his will be alot closer to breaking into the queenside and I don't have the same ability to lock his king outta the game.