Answers.Body: <p>bxc5 wins a pawn on the spot. After Bxc5 white replies Nxe5 forking queen and bishop and any pressure black had on the kingside is gone. With the bishop attacked 3 times (by knight, bishop and queen) black is forced to play Bxe2.</p>
  <p>Add to that the fact that the b7 pawn is also en prise although white has to bear in mind Bb6 cutting off the rook's retreat.</p>
  <pre><code>[fen &quot;rn3rk1/pp3ppp/3b2q1/2p1p3/1PP3b1/3P1N2/P3BPPP/1RBQR1K1 w - - 1 1&quot;]
  
  1. bxc5 Bxc5 2. Nxe5 Bxe2 3. Rxe2
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-08-23T17:14:53.370Z
Answers.Text: I seriously need to start thinking beyond just one move ahead. Thanks.
Answers.UserDisplayName: insipidintegrator
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Answers.Text: No - 3. Nxg6 Bxd1 4. Nxf8 Bf4 (Bxf8 5. Rxd1 leaves white up the exchange) 5. Re8 Bxf8 6. Rxb7 now wins the black knight leaving white up the exchange
Answers.UserDisplayName: Alexander Woo
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Answers.CreationDate: 2022-08-23T18:03:16.010Z
Answers.Text: Or - actually, 6. Ba3 - actually, 4... Bxf8 5. Re8 is also very bad for Black - Black's least bad move 4 is Kxf8 leaving white up the exchange but with no immediate threats
Answers.UserDisplayName: Alexander Woo
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-08-23T18:08:01.283Z
Answers.Text: Also, notice that if it goes 1. bxc5 Bc7, white has 2. Nxe5 Bxe5 (we've seen how badly Bxe2 goes) 3. Bxg4 winning a second pawn
Answers.UserDisplayName: Alexander Woo
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Body: <pre><code>[fen &quot;rn3rk1/pp3ppp/3b2q1/2p1p3/1PP3b1/3P1N2/P3BPPP/1RBQR1K1 w - - 1 13&quot;]
  </code></pre>
  <p>According to me, b5 is a pretty okay option, but according to Stockfish 10+ WASM, (Lichess) the advantage drops from +3.7 to +1.6. Why is this? Is it because it allows a3 and the potential opening up of the rook? But can’t I just go b6 in response (somehow, two innocuous pawn moves transform it to -0.6)? Lichess tells me it is a BLUNDER. WHY?</p>
  <p>Why is bxc5 so good? According to me, after Bxc5, Black’s dark squared bishop is in an extremely active and attacking square, also pinning my f2 pawn to the king.</p>
  
Tags: <analysis>
Title: Why is bxc5 better than b5?
ThreadText: # Why is bxc5 better than b5?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-23)
  
  [fen "rn3rk1/pp3ppp/3b2q1/2p1p3/1PP3b1/3P1N2/P3BPPP/1RBQR1K1 w - - 1 13"]
  
  According to me, b5 is a pretty okay option, but according to Stockfish 10+ WASM, (Lichess) the advantage drops from +3.7 to +1.6. Why is this? Is it because it allows a3 and the potential opening up of the rook? But can’t I just go b6 in response (somehow, two innocuous pawn moves transform it to -0.6)? Lichess tells me it is a BLUNDER. WHY?
  Why is bxc5 so good? According to me, after Bxc5, Black’s dark squared bishop is in an extremely active and attacking square, also pinning my f2 pawn to the king.
  
  **Tags:** analysis
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2022-08-23. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
  
  bxc5 wins a pawn on the spot. After Bxc5 white replies Nxe5 forking queen and bishop and any pressure black had on the kingside is gone. With the bishop attacked 3 times (by knight, bishop and queen) black is forced to play Bxe2.
  Add to that the fact that the b7 pawn is also en prise although white has to bear in mind Bb6 cutting off the rook's retreat.
  [fen "rn3rk1/pp3ppp/3b2q1/2p1p3/1PP3b1/3P1N2/P3BPPP/1RBQR1K1 w - - 1 1"]
  
  1. bxc5 Bxc5 2. Nxe5 Bxe2 3. Rxe2
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: I seriously need to start thinking beyond just one move ahead. Thanks.  
  > **username_2**: No - 3. Nxg6 Bxd1 4. Nxf8 Bf4 (Bxf8 5. Rxd1 leaves white up the exchange) 5. Re8 Bxf8 6. Rxb7 now wins the black knight leaving white up the exchange  
  > **username_2**: Or - actually, 6. Ba3 - actually, 4... Bxf8 5. Re8 is also very bad for Black - Black's least bad move 4 is Kxf8 leaving white up the exchange but with no immediate threats  
  > **username_2**: Also, notice that if it goes 1. bxc5 Bc7, white has 2. Nxe5 Bxe5 (we've seen how badly Bxe2 goes) 3. Bxg4 winning a second pawn  
  
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