Nice Position for Humans

[AdminX]

Black to move

[d]r2qk2r/p3n1pp/2pb4/2pp3b/N3p1P1/BP1PP3/P1P2P1N/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 0 14

3D View click for larger image.

[zullil]

Well, I chose a winning move, but apparently not the "best" move.

[AdminX]

Well, I chose a winning move, but apparently not the "best" move.

Yes, speculative players might find it quickly. Might depend on the mood you are in at the time. The 'best' move is very nice indeed.

[BrendanJNorman]

Black to move

[d]r2qk2r/p3n1pp/2pb4/2pp3b/N3p1P1/BP1PP3/P1P2P1N/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 0 14

3D View click for larger image.

First move I look at is 1...Nf5. Idea is to make time for ...Qh4 whilst keeping an eye on the e3 square in case of some f3 defense to open the second rank.

Something like 1...Nf5 2.gxh5 Qg5+ 3. Ng4 (3.Kh1 Qh4 is mating I guess?) 3...Nh4-+ (threat is ...Nf3+ and ...Qxg4 and it seems there is no good defense)

Haven't "checked" the answer yet though.

[zullil]

Black to move

[d]r2qk2r/p3n1pp/2pb4/2pp3b/N3p1P1/BP1PP3/P1P2P1N/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 0 14

First move I look at is 1...Nf5.

That was my choice too. It's second best, though winning.

[AdminX]

Black to move

[d]r2qk2r/p3n1pp/2pb4/2pp3b/N3p1P1/BP1PP3/P1P2P1N/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 0 14

First move I look at is 1...Nf5.

That was my choice too. It's second best, though winning.

Okay you have my attention, I thought Nf5 was the best move also! So now it is your turn to enlighten me. What have you discovered, or are you going to make me boot up my engines.

[peter]

Black to move

[d]r2qk2r/p3n1pp/2pb4/2pp3b/N3p1P1/BP1PP3/P1P2P1N/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 0 14

First move I look at is 1...Nf5.

That was my choice too. It's second best, though winning.

Okay you have my attention, I thought Nf5 was the best move also! So now it is your turn to enlighten me. What have you discovered, or are you going to make me boot up my engines.

Before Louis gives his best move, here's mine: ...Bxh2+

[AdminX]

Black to move

[d]r2qk2r/p3n1pp/2pb4/2pp3b/N3p1P1/BP1PP3/P1P2P1N/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 0 14

First move I look at is 1...Nf5.

That was my choice too. It's second best, though winning.

Okay you have my attention, I thought Nf5 was the best move also! So now it is your turn to enlighten me. What have you discovered, or are you going to make me boot up my engines.

Before Louis gives his best move, here's mine: ...Bxh2+

I looked at that but felt it was a bit premature, I will take a second look at it however.

[Alayan]

Bxh2 was my first instinct. No very deep analysis, just exchange a piece close to the enemy king to expose it even more and drag it out in the open.

Lichess SF told me that Nf5 was best and Bxh2 only draws, but running Ethereal in MultiPV I get Bxh2 as best. You guys were overthinking.

info depth 32 seldepth 79 multipv 1 score cp 631 time 2428519 nodes 8250115461 nps 3397000 tbhits 0 hashfull 1000 pv d6h2 g1h2 e7g6 f1h1 g6e5 g4h5 d8g5 a3c5 e5g4 d1g4 g5g4 h1g1 g4h5 h2g2 e8c8 g2f1 d8d7 a4c3 d7f7 f1e1 h5f5 g1g2 e4d3 c2d3 f5d3 c5d4 h8e8 c3e2 g7g6 a1c1 c8b7 d4c5 d3e4 g2h2 a7a5 f2f4 e4d3 h2h3 h7h5 c5d4 d3f5 h3h4 f5d3 h4h2 e8e3 d4e3
info depth 32 seldepth 69 multipv 2 score cp 455 time 2510929 nodes 8536695554 nps 3399000 tbhits 0 hashfull 1000 pv e7f5 f2f4 e4f3 d1f3 d8h4 f3g2 d6h2 g2h2 h4g4 h2g2 g4g2 g1g2 f5e3 g2g3 e3c2 a3c5 c2a1 f1a1 e8d7 a1f1 h8e8 c5d4 d7d6 a2a3 a7a5 d4c5 d6e5 c5b6 h7h6 g3h3 h5e2 d3d4 e5e4 f1f7 e4d3 f7g7 e8e3 h3g2 h6h5 a4c5 d3c3 g7g6 e2g4 g6c6 a8g8 c6f6 e3e2 g2f1 c3d4 c5b7 d4e5 f6f7 d5d4 b7a5 d4d3 f1g1

And Stockfish 11 also agrees

info depth 33 seldepth 64 multipv 1 score cp 635 nodes 783447865 nps 3341527 hashfull 1000 tbhits 0 time 234458 pv d6h2 g1h2 e7g6 f1h1 g6e5 g4h5 d8g5 a3c5 e5g4 d1g4 g5g4 h1g1 g4h5 h2g2 e8c8 g2f1 d8d7 f1e1 e4d3 c2d3 d7f7 e1d2 f7f2 d2c3 h5e2 c3b4 h8g8 e3e4 f2f4 c5d6 f4g4 g1g4 e2g4 b4a3 d5e4 d3e4 g4e4 d6b4 g7g5 a1e1 e4f4 e1e7 f4c1 a4b2 h7h5 e7h7 g8d8 h7h5
info depth 33 seldepth 60 multipv 2 score cp 377 nodes 783447865 nps 3341527 hashfull 1000 tbhits 0 time 234458 pv e7f5 f2f4 e4f3 d1f3 d8h4 f3g2 d6h2 g2h2 h4g4 h2g2 g4g2 g1g2 f5e3 g2h2 e3f1 a1f1 c5c4 d3c4 d5c4 f1e1 e8f7 e1e7 f7g6 a3b2 h8g8 e7c7 a8c8 c7a7 c4b3 a2b3 c8e8 a7c7 e8e2 h2g3 e2c2 b2c3 h7h6 c7c6 g6h7 c6c7 c2e2 a4b6 e2e3 g3h4 h5f3

[BrendanJNorman]

Bxh2 was my first instinct. No very deep analysis, just exchange a piece close to the enemy king to expose it even more and drag it out in the open.

Lichess SF told me that Nf5 was best and Bxh2 only draws, but running Ethereal in MultiPV I get Bxh2 as best. You guys were overthinking.

info depth 32 seldepth 79 multipv 1 score cp 631 time 2428519 nodes 8250115461 nps 3397000 tbhits 0 hashfull 1000 pv d6h2 g1h2 e7g6 f1h1 g6e5 g4h5 d8g5 a3c5 e5g4 d1g4 g5g4 h1g1 g4h5 h2g2 e8c8 g2f1 d8d7 a4c3 d7f7 f1e1 h5f5 g1g2 e4d3 c2d3 f5d3 c5d4 h8e8 c3e2 g7g6 a1c1 c8b7 d4c5 d3e4 g2h2 a7a5 f2f4 e4d3 h2h3 h7h5 c5d4 d3f5 h3h4 f5d3 h4h2 e8e3 d4e3
info depth 32 seldepth 69 multipv 2 score cp 455 time 2510929 nodes 8536695554 nps 3399000 tbhits 0 hashfull 1000 pv e7f5 f2f4 e4f3 d1f3 d8h4 f3g2 d6h2 g2h2 h4g4 h2g2 g4g2 g1g2 f5e3 g2g3 e3c2 a3c5 c2a1 f1a1 e8d7 a1f1 h8e8 c5d4 d7d6 a2a3 a7a5 d4c5 d6e5 c5b6 h7h6 g3h3 h5e2 d3d4 e5e4 f1f7 e4d3 f7g7 e8e3 h3g2 h6h5 a4c5 d3c3 g7g6 e2g4 g6c6 a8g8 c6f6 e3e2 g2f1 c3d4 c5b7 d4e5 f6f7 d5d4 b7a5 d4d3 f1g1

And Stockfish 11 also agrees

info depth 33 seldepth 64 multipv 1 score cp 635 nodes 783447865 nps 3341527 hashfull 1000 tbhits 0 time 234458 pv d6h2 g1h2 e7g6 f1h1 g6e5 g4h5 d8g5 a3c5 e5g4 d1g4 g5g4 h1g1 g4h5 h2g2 e8c8 g2f1 d8d7 f1e1 e4d3 c2d3 d7f7 e1d2 f7f2 d2c3 h5e2 c3b4 h8g8 e3e4 f2f4 c5d6 f4g4 g1g4 e2g4 b4a3 d5e4 d3e4 g4e4 d6b4 g7g5 a1e1 e4f4 e1e7 f4c1 a4b2 h7h5 e7h7 g8d8 h7h5
info depth 33 seldepth 60 multipv 2 score cp 377 nodes 783447865 nps 3341527 hashfull 1000 tbhits 0 time 234458 pv e7f5 f2f4 e4f3 d1f3 d8h4 f3g2 d6h2 g2h2 h4g4 h2g2 g4g2 g1g2 f5e3 g2h2 e3f1 a1f1 c5c4 d3c4 d5c4 f1e1 e8f7 e1e7 f7g6 a3b2 h8g8 e7c7 a8c8 c7a7 c4b3 a2b3 c8e8 a7c7 e8e2 h2g3 e2c2 b2c3 h7h6 c7c6 g6h7 c6c7 c2e2 a4b6 e2e3 g3h4 h5f3

No buddy, we weren't "overthinking"...at least I wasn't.

Human chess and Elo 3500 chess is a little different.

Plus, I have a serious mental illness in chess.

That is, my mind jumps toward the aesthetically pleasing FIRST, and ignores obvious pieces exchanges.

So for me, Nf5 is "obvious" while ...Bxh2 is an option which regardless of strength, will probably only be chosen after several minutes thought.

I'd play ...Nf5 even in a bullet game, the problem isn't my tactical ability, but this "beautiful chess" bias.

Truth is, I don't really care too much though.

I love this game, and if I'm not a GM, who cares.