Answers.Body: <p>Note, also, that Nxc2 is +1 on material while Nxb3 is +2 as the knight should be captured--I do not see why your opponent launched that futile attack and let the knight escape.</p>
  <p>However, along with that +1 material the king has to move, costing him several moves to get the rook out and the king to safety.</p>
  
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Answers.Body: <p>A 213 &quot;centipawn&quot; loss can be critical in an equal position. If you still have a +9 position, it's irrelevant. In this case, I think the engine dislikes to take the rook right now because 8...b5 looks like a stronger move. If White removes the bishop, you can still take the rook, while 9.axb5 axb5 would make your ...Ra1 threat unstoppable</p>
  
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Answers.Body: <p>The key point is that taking the rook reduces your positional advantage.</p>
  <ul>
  <li>Your knight is active but the rook is passive;</li>
  <li>With your knight on <code>d4</code> the squares the rook can move to are extremely limited. After <code>8. ... Nxc2+ 9. Kf1 h6</code>, only <code>f3</code> and <code>g3</code> are better squares for the rook. However, with the advancement of pawns on the king side, the queen will be chased away and the development of <code>Nf6</code> will trap the rook. This will gain both the material advantage and the increasing positional advantage.</li>
  </ul>
  <p>This is reflected in the Stockfish evaluation as <code>Nxb3</code> yields -2.3, with the -2 coming from the material whereas <code>Nxc2+</code> yields -3.8.</p>
  
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Answers.Text: Wouldn't Nxb3 also prevent white from castling?
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Body: <p>In a recent game, I forked a queen and rook with a knight. After seeing no immediate threats from 8. Qf4 I immediately captured with 8. ...Nxb3. Apparently this was quite a mistake (a 213 centipawn evaluation drop), but it's not clear to me why the material advantage from Nxb3 is inferior to Stockfish's recommendation of Nxc2, let alone <em>far</em> superior.</p>
  <pre><code>[White &quot;White&quot;]
  [Black &quot;Black&quot;]
  
  [fen &quot;&quot;]
  
  1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 { B20 Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack } b6 3. a4 Bb7 4. Qf3 e6 5. Ra3? { (-0.77 → -2.15) Mistake. d3 was best. } a6 6. Rb3 Nc6 7. Nh3? { (-2.78 → -5.30) Mistake. Re3 was best. } Nd4 8. Qf4 Nxb3? { (-5.02 → -2.89) Mistake. Nxc2 was best. } 9. Ng5?? { (-2.89 → -6.87) Blunder. Bxb3 was best. } f6 10. Nxe6 dxe6 11. Bxe6?! { (-5.59 → -10.58) Inaccuracy. Bxb3 was best. } Nd4 12. Bg4 Nxc2+ 0-1
  </code></pre>
  <p>What am I missing here? Why shouldn't Nxb3 be played (or maybe, why is Nxc2 far superior)?</p>
  
Tags: <analysis><strategy><tactics><evaluation>
Title: Why is it a mistake to capture the forked rook?
ThreadText: # Why is it a mistake to capture the forked rook?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2020-11-23)
  
  In a recent game, I forked a queen and rook with a knight. After seeing no immediate threats from 8. Qf4 I immediately captured with 8. ...Nxb3. Apparently this was quite a mistake (a 213 centipawn evaluation drop), but it's not clear to me why the material advantage from Nxb3 is inferior to Stockfish's recommendation of Nxc2, let alone far superior.
  [White "White"]
  [Black "Black"]
  
  [fen ""]
  
  1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 { B20 Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack } b6 3. a4 Bb7 4. Qf3 e6 5. Ra3? { (-0.77 → -2.15) Mistake. d3 was best. } a6 6. Rb3 Nc6 7. Nh3? { (-2.78 → -5.30) Mistake. Re3 was best. } Nd4 8. Qf4 Nxb3? { (-5.02 → -2.89) Mistake. Nxc2 was best. } 9. Ng5?? { (-2.89 → -6.87) Blunder. Bxb3 was best. } f6 10. Nxe6 dxe6 11. Bxe6?! { (-5.59 → -10.58) Inaccuracy. Bxb3 was best. } Nd4 12. Bg4 Nxc2+ 0-1
  
  What am I missing here? Why shouldn't Nxb3 be played (or maybe, why is Nxc2 far superior)?
  
  **Tags:** analysis, strategy, tactics, evaluation
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2020-11-23. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
  
  The key point is that taking the rook reduces your positional advantage.
  
  * Your knight is active but the rook is passive;
  * With your knight on `d4` the squares the rook can move to are extremely limited. After `8. ... Nxc2+ 9. Kf1 h6`, only `f3` and `g3` are better squares for the rook. However, with the advancement of pawns on the king side, the queen will be chased away and the development of `Nf6` will trap the rook. This will gain both the material advantage and the increasing positional advantage.
  
  This is reflected in the Stockfish evaluation as `Nxb3` yields -2.3, with the -2 coming from the material whereas `Nxc2+` yields -3.8.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: Wouldn't Nxb3 also prevent white from castling?  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2020-11-23. Score: 4
  
  Note, also, that Nxc2 is +1 on material while Nxb3 is +2 as the knight should be captured--I do not see why your opponent launched that futile attack and let the knight escape.
  
  However, along with that +1 material the king has to move, costing him several moves to get the rook out and the king to safety.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2020-11-23. Score: 1
  
  A 213 "centipawn" loss can be critical in an equal position. If you still have a +9 position, it's irrelevant. In this case, I think the engine dislikes to take the rook right now because 8...b5 looks like a stronger move. If White removes the bishop, you can still take the rook, while 9.axb5 axb5 would make your ...Ra1 threat unstoppable
  
  
  ---
  
  