So... Black has done well. This position looks winning for Black, but how to continue?
Before looking at moves, let's analyze the position.
1. Material. Black is up a pawn. However, it would be good to note that the extra pawn is on the king side and is backward.
2. King Safety. White's king is in a somewhat shakier position than Black's king. Black's king, on the other hand, has some white square weaknesses. But White's king has more air around him.
3. Space. Black has more space.
4. Piece Activity. Black's pieces are more active. Black has a better bishop, a better knight, and a better queen. Additionally, White has a terrible looking knight on h2, black has a terrible looking bishop on g7.
5. Piece cohesion and harmony. Black is somewhat better. White's bishop is blocking his rook.
6. Weaknesses. Black has a weak pawn on c5, White has weak pawn on f3, d3, and b2. White has light square weaknesses and Black has dark square weaknesses.
7. Threats and Intentions. Nothing I can tell for White. No immediate threat from Black either. Black's intention were two: conjure up King side attack and focus on the weakness on d3.
Thoughts went through in my head during game:
1. I want to attack the King, but how? Qg3 right away can be met by Rg1, then what? Qh3? That seems awfully decentralized.
2. If not attacking the king, then the Knight on h4 is misplaced. f3 is thrice protected. But hey, there is that nice looking f4 square, from which my knight can embarrass the White's bishop and help out on the d3 weakness.
so... Ng6, which was met by ...
1. d4! (taking advantage of Black's light square weakness and c5 weakness) BxB
2. NxB, Nf4
3. NxN, QxN
Even if we can, for the time being, forget the fact that White is about to get his pawn back, the transformation took place within three moves is most upsetting. For Black anyway. He has lost his good knight, his good bishop, somehow in the process also got rid of White's horrible bishop, and his attacking potential has been reduced. This was not a good turn of events.
During the game, Black proceeded to lose from this position.
Okay, surely Black can do better?
Of course, just f5!
f5 is simply winning. Black can activate his dark bishop now, to a beautiful square on d4! And now Black can play Qg3 since g1 is covered by the bishop. If White takes on f with g pawn, then Nf5 is also good, threatening Ne3 or Ng3.
After f5, Black position is beautiful.
One should always take care of one's weakest piece and find a way to make it better. A weak piece makes the whole game weak.
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