I captured because black now has two isolated pawns, I get a great open e file where I win a tempi on the knight, and black's light squared bishop looks terrible. Meanwhile there are great squares for my pieces. Can someone explain what I am missing, my move looked sensible.
Really the isolated pawns wouldn't have been so bad. Besides, the engine recommended en passant capturing the pawn.
Well. I think that it's a matter of piece acivity and control of the center at the end of the e.p. variation compared to the variation you played.
In addition after 17...Nxd5 (not 17...Qxd5?!) black can easily recycle is Bb7 bishop via c8-h3 (pinning on g4 or with Bb5, playing Bf5 or even Be6 if needed. Alternatively the a5 push looks interesting). Also the possibility to use the e file to exchange major pieces is for black a plus and the bishop pair should emerge later.
All of that compared to the variation played means that white must react quicly, exhange at least the dark square bishop, move the queen and put his rook on e1-d1 in order to support his central pawn... and black does not have a true way to stop that.
My 2 cents ;)
In addition after 17...Nxd5 (not 17...Qxd5?!) black can easily recycle is Bb7 bishop via c8-h3 (pinning on g4 or with Bb5, playing Bf5 or even Be6 if needed. Alternatively the a5 push looks interesting). Also the possibility to use the e file to exchange major pieces is for black a plus and the bishop pair should emerge later.
All of that compared to the variation played means that white must react quicly, exhange at least the dark square bishop, move the queen and put his rook on e1-d1 in order to support his central pawn... and black does not have a true way to stop that.
My 2 cents ;)
Don't be so harsh to yourself. You still have huge advantage +1, but computer says it was mistake, because cxd6 is even better +2.5
But if we think why it considered mistake it is good to start from your thinking process.
"I captured because black now has two isolated pawns" - True, but cxd6 achieves same and doing nothing most likely achieves same later after ...dxe4 or exd5
"I get a great open e file" - It is not so clear who gets e-file as neither player has rook there
"where I win a tempi on the knight" - That is wrong. If black plays ...Nxd5 (winning tempo as you have to protect b4-pawn) also you just lost tempo compared to position before capture. I mean that position is same without e4&d5 pawns, but Nd5 is better placed than Ne7. 17.cxd6 is not same kind of tempo loss, because either ...Bxd6 or ...Qd6 followed by Nc4 and you get your tempo back when black moves piece away from d6.
"and black's light squared bishop looks terrible." - True, but it was also terrible before capture so it is not achievement of the move.
"Meanwhile there are great squares for my pieces." - True, altough cxd6 achvieves same.
One thing you did not write at all was your opponents ideas after exd5. So let's compare position without capture and exd5. Let's say 17. Qb3 for example.
-Black has bad bishop b7 both cases.
-Bc7 doesn't really care if you take or not
-Ne7 has only Ng6 (then white plays g3 and no squares for it) if white doesn't capture. When you play exd5 Knight get great squares d5 and f5. You don't want to allow that. I think that is one of the biggest reasons not to play cxd5. If we compare positions cxd6 ja exd5 you see that after cxd6 knight doesn't have d5 and f5 squares but you have c4 for your knight.
-If you don't take to d5 then backward pawn d3 is not issue. After exd5 black could put rooks and queen to pressure it more easily. After cxd6 there is potentially same problem, but playing actively (Nc4 tempo! then in worst case Queen away and Rfd1 and it is not issue)
You don't have to think all this trough when you play, but if you think it afterwards your intuition might say something when you next time arrive similar position. Maybe you should in general think more about your opponent's ideas?
But if we think why it considered mistake it is good to start from your thinking process.
"I captured because black now has two isolated pawns" - True, but cxd6 achieves same and doing nothing most likely achieves same later after ...dxe4 or exd5
"I get a great open e file" - It is not so clear who gets e-file as neither player has rook there
"where I win a tempi on the knight" - That is wrong. If black plays ...Nxd5 (winning tempo as you have to protect b4-pawn) also you just lost tempo compared to position before capture. I mean that position is same without e4&d5 pawns, but Nd5 is better placed than Ne7. 17.cxd6 is not same kind of tempo loss, because either ...Bxd6 or ...Qd6 followed by Nc4 and you get your tempo back when black moves piece away from d6.
"and black's light squared bishop looks terrible." - True, but it was also terrible before capture so it is not achievement of the move.
"Meanwhile there are great squares for my pieces." - True, altough cxd6 achvieves same.
One thing you did not write at all was your opponents ideas after exd5. So let's compare position without capture and exd5. Let's say 17. Qb3 for example.
-Black has bad bishop b7 both cases.
-Bc7 doesn't really care if you take or not
-Ne7 has only Ng6 (then white plays g3 and no squares for it) if white doesn't capture. When you play exd5 Knight get great squares d5 and f5. You don't want to allow that. I think that is one of the biggest reasons not to play cxd5. If we compare positions cxd6 ja exd5 you see that after cxd6 knight doesn't have d5 and f5 squares but you have c4 for your knight.
-If you don't take to d5 then backward pawn d3 is not issue. After exd5 black could put rooks and queen to pressure it more easily. After cxd6 there is potentially same problem, but playing actively (Nc4 tempo! then in worst case Queen away and Rfd1 and it is not issue)
You don't have to think all this trough when you play, but if you think it afterwards your intuition might say something when you next time arrive similar position. Maybe you should in general think more about your opponent's ideas?
Wow @BigH that was well thought out and explained. I think my biggest flaw is failing to think enough about my opponent's ideas. It's a really good point.
Chess is a two player game.
Chess is a two player game.
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