tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post3595113686372223041..comments2023-12-28T02:11:22.501+00:00Comments on The Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog: Blue or Red Pill? XXIXTom Chivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09850710685193416732noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-88995725167514312382014-04-14T23:26:20.143+01:002014-04-14T23:26:20.143+01:00I don't know what your series is doing for you...I don't know what your series is doing for your chess, but it seems to be working well for mine. Not so much because I'm making more exchange sacrifices - though I think I am - but because I'm considering and analysing them.Jack Ruddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17433574267085964238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-71346589887416503592014-04-14T12:09:58.897+01:002014-04-14T12:09:58.897+01:00To me the position after the exchange sac looks en...To me the position after the exchange sac looks entirely playable. <br />The bishop pair and a protected passer and no open files for the white rooks. Even if black isn't better, he should be pretty much ok.<br />Bb6 next maybe and already Bc2 with d3 and Bd4 is a threat. <br />So maybe the problem is rather precise play in an unbalanced position, i.e. mostly a calculation issue?<br /><br />The blue or red pill question depends solely on your level of ambition, I would say. If you really want to improve, I guess you should try to master these dynamical aspects of the game. <br />On the other hand, learning to steer games into your area of expertise is a completely valid method of playing strength improvement as well.<br /><br />PhilleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-41773038060587004842014-04-14T08:38:58.014+01:002014-04-14T08:38:58.014+01:00Is it more to do with evaluating the resulting end...Is it more to do with evaluating the resulting ending? In the position after the exchange sacrifice, I would have thought Black struggling to draw. That type of sacrifice to eliminate the fianchettoed Bishop usually needs the Queens on, so there are mating threats. Without the sacrifice, it's level material and you have a Bishop pair. That's usually enough to be comfortable because of the possibility of bailing out to an opposite Bishop ending. Equally a Bishop on d5 isn't so much of a problem without a Queen to support a mating attack.<br /><br />RdCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com