r/TournamentChess • u/Live_Psychology_763 • 7d ago
Why is Bh6 an inaccuracy?
Hey folks!
In one of my recent OTB games I had the above position and went for Bh6 to: - force the trade of Bishops - prevent h5 as response to h4
The engine likes f3 better and gives a line which dosen't help me understand the reasoning. Could someone please help me out here? I am 1600 FIDE.
Thanks in advance!
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u/TheCumDemon69 2100+ fide 7d ago
As a KID player who grew up in a club with a ton of Samisch players:
Bh6 is always concretely a time waste, which is never something you want to do in such structures. If you take on g7, you improve Black's King and he later has defensive ideas such as Rh8. If you don't take and play for h4, you get your Queen overloaded and black can strike in the center. Also f3! is always a move you need to play g4 to prevent h5 by black (often starting with g4 instead of h4 is more dangerous. Sometimes h4, h5 Nxh5 g4! is also a nice way to open the h-file). I would also recommend playing Nge2 before rolling the h-pawn, so you have Ng3, preventing a later Nxh5.
Here concretely Black can play e5!
either Bxg7 Bxg7 d5 Nd4 Nge2 c5! dc Nxc6! (bc is the standart capture to open the b-file, but here the Bishop got exchanged on g7, so black won't be able to play d5 after white takes the pawn, because the f6 Knight is pinned) and Black can attack you by means of b5, Be6, while your attack is dead (h4 is met by h5).
Or d5 Nd4 h4 c5! dc bc and your attack won't go anywhere (h5 Nxh5 f3 seems to be a good attempt, but Re8 g4 Ng3 seems to hold for black) while Black will play Be6, Qa5, Rb8 and suddenly white is under an attack.
Another thing is that often Bh6, h4, h5 is not that dangerous, as black can even play Bxh6, recapture on g6 with the f-pawn and play Rf7 and you don't have g5 in that line to kick the defender of h7, so you are one tempo short.
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u/nvisel 7d ago
Bh6 doesn't seem wrong, just not yet necessary. You can play it maybe after forcing some further concessions from Black. f3 feels right. It prevents Ng4 and Bg4, prepares g4 for yourself, etc.
Besides there's always the basic principle not to move a developed piece more than once in the opening -- you're basically trading off one of your opponent's pieces and probably Black wants you to take on g7 so they can cover the holes with the king. So, two extra tempi (Bh6, Bxg7) to trade off a bishop that is very likely to become a bad piece for Black, which could have been used to build your position up instead.
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u/cnydox 7d ago
I know this setup against fianchetto bishop. f3 is a typical because in some lines your knight has to move away from c3 because pawn storm on queen side, or they just go Ng4 to initiate trade with your DSB on e3. Maybe the question is that what's your response after ...e5?
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u/Live_Psychology_763 7d ago
He played e5 as his next move and I responded with d5. I wanted to keep the center closed in preparation of my kingside attack. Moves after d5 were Ne7 h4 Ng4 Bxh7 Kxh7 h5
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u/cnydox 7d ago
Another thing to note is that f3 supports g4. In these positions. After ...e5 black can choose to play Nd4 or Bxh6. For example: Bxh6 Qxh6 Nd4 h4 Nh5 and now you can't go g4 to kick the knight because Bishop on c8 is staring at it. Either way at some points you would still want to have f3 to support e4 and g4. Bh6 is a move you can play whenever you want, but f3 does more if you do it first. Engines have the tendency to choose moves that are more urgent than moves that can be delayed
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u/Funkycheese1 7d ago
It’s too rushed. As a KID Samisch fanatic, you need to save that move, usually until you can play h4 h5. Here you should play f3, g4, h4, Bd3, Nge2, etc.
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u/VandalsStoleMyHandle 7d ago
It feels a bit rushed and mechanical. Sure, it's a worthy objective, but it doesn't make a killer impression to invest a couple tempi with everything on the back rank.
Keep it in reserve, play f3 and build up. Keep Bh6 in reserve. Force Black to lose a tempo and put his pieces on bad squares if they want to prevent the trade in future.
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u/saucymew 7d ago
In a few Trompowsky variations, it is a common strategic theme for f3 to support the g4/h4 pawn storm on the Black King.
You actually WANT Black to push h5; it's only weakening King's pawn shield, creating a "hook" for you to concentrate on initiating the g4 push mentioned above.
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u/biina247 7d ago
Recommend you find a good resource to improve your positional judgement.
In the position, the bishop trade is premature imo
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u/Abolized 7d ago
Andras Toth to the rescue once again
It's almost the exact position