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Questions tagged [advantage]

Relating to an advantage in chess

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Does the first-move advantage for White have real meaning apart from the highest levels of play?

Most games that involve taking turns, with one player going first by lot or agreement, have some sort of advantage to going first. Tic-tac-toe, for instance, is a guaranteed draw for player 1, assuming correct play. Connect 4 is a guaranteed win for…
Jonathan Garber
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Black's tools in the Caro-Kann Advanced Tal Variation

What are Black's plans to play for an advantage in this variation? [FEN ""] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h5 5. Bd3 Bxd3 6. Qxd3 e6 The kingside development seems so slow, allowing White to develop, castle, and break on c4 before Black has…
guitarcat
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As Black, how do you deal with the double pawns in the Ruy Lopez exchange variation?

How does Black deal with the double pawns c7 and c6 on the Ruy Lopez exchange variation? In other words, after: [FEN ""] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 I feel that the doubled pawns are cumbersome, and I…
TheFakeGrandmaster
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Who has the advantage in this position?

I was in a three%day turn bame, I played almost played a line that would have led me to this position. Black’s central pawns seem to be an advantage, although White being up the exchange scared me. Who has the advantage in this position, and why? It…
Manuel
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How to convert better positions and not to get swindled OTB?

For context I am new to OTB chess with 30 games under my belt and a rating of around 1930 fide. I have a very definite problem. Last tournament I dropped 3 pieces in 3 consecutive games in either equal or better positions, 2 of those were free…
gunslinger1994
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Why does Stockfish give an evaluation of +7.42 here?

[fen "r3k1nr/pppqn2p/5p2/b5p1/3PP3/1BP2QBP/PP1N2P1/R3K2R w KQkq - 3 14"] This game was played by me on chess.com recently. (I am white). The material balance is +1 (for white). Then why is Stockfish evaluating such huge advantage for white? (White…
CoolCoder
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How do I understand White's +6 advantage here?

[White "White (to move)"] [Black "Black"] [FEN "rnq1kb1r/ppp3pp/4pn2/4N3/2QP4/2N2P2/PPP3PP/R1B1K2R w KQ - 0 13"] In this position, White can still castle, but Black cannot (having moved the king twice). Stockfish 10+ (depth 18) assures me that…
user21820
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Are there any gambits which yield an advantage for the side down material?

For this question I'm interested only in gambits that: Are real gambits. That is, the side that's risking the material actually ends up down material + cannot count on winning the material back. This, e.g., excludes the Queen's Gambit because 1. d4…
Allure
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Was this sacrifice a good one?

Upon reviewing a game I played. I started to feel bad about exchanging my attacking bishop for my opponent’s useless one. But I believe that I had no other choices. I want your opinion about what I should have done in this situation. I am a 1200…
u185619
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What did Benjamin Franklin mean in this quote?

I was reading thenarticle at http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/benjamin-franklin-on-the-morals-of-chess, and in the last paragraph, Ben Franklin says "Snatch not eagerly at every advantage offered by his unskilfulness or inattention; but point…
Kelsey
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How much would chess change if Black always had the last move?

In a hypothetical minor variant, could White's first-move advantage be compensated for by Black's right to last move? Normally, White wins have White play N+1 plies to Black's N. How would the game change if Black had a N+1st "revenge move", that…
Therac
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Guide to using a book

I am currently twenty years old. I learned the rules of chess when I was eight and played on and off for a long time. However, I did not take it seriously. Recently after joining chess.com and trying out the tactics, as well as following grandmaster…
Pranav
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Who has the advantage here?

Who has the advantage here? In general whar will perform better in this scenario- 3 pawns vs. 3 pawns, or 4 pawns vs. 2 pawns?
ajacian81
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What are examples of chess positions where the best move for a human to play is a game-theoretic error?

I'm looking for positions where the game-theoretic perfect move is actually a mistake for any human to play (because it would lead to complications that they can't be expected to handle), and conversely - the most recommended move for a human who…
Meni Rosenfeld
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Can this '+3.9' advantage be converted to a win?

I reached this endgame, which Stockfish 10+ evaluates as +3.9, but failed to convert it to a win. I feel that it may be a draw after all. Is that the case? [Title "White to move"] [FEN "8/8/8/4k1p1/1R3p1P/5P1B/r4K2/8 w - - 8 57"]
user21820
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