Body: <p>FEN is:
  rn1qkb1r/pppb1ppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/2N2P2/PPP3PP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7</p>
  <pre><code>[StartFlipped &quot;0&quot;]
      [FEN &quot;rn1qkb1r/pppb1ppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/2N2P2/PPP3PP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7&quot;]
  </code></pre>
  <p>StockFish 16.1 says:</p>
  <p>Top move is Be3</p>
  <pre><code>1. 21 [+1.60]  7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 c6 10.O-O-O Qa5 11.a3 O-O-O 12.Kb1 h5 13.Be2 Kb8 14.f4 Bc8 15.h3 h4 16.Rhe1 Ka8 17.f5 Nd7 18.Bc4 f6 
  </code></pre>
  <p>Several moves are also good</p>
  <pre><code>2. 21 [+1.40]  7.g4 Nc6 8.Be3 h6 9.h3 Be7 10.Qd2 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 c5 12.Be3 Qa5 13.O-O-O O-O-O 
  3. 21 [+1.38]  7.Qd3 a6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.O-O-O c5 10.Nf5 Bxf5 11.exf5 O-O 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Qxd6 Bd4 14.Qxd8 Rxd8 15.Be2 Nd7 16.Ne4 
  4. 21 [+1.37]  7.h4 Nh5 8.Nde2 Be7 9.Bg5 Nf6 10.Qd2 Nc6 11.O-O-O h6 12.Bf4 Ne5 13.Nd4 h5 14.Qe1 Qb8 15.Bg5 c6 16.Be2 Qc7 
  5. 21 [+1.34]  7.Rg1 d5 8.exd5 Be7 9.Bf4 O-O 10.Qd3 Bb4 11.O-O-O Bxc3 12.Qxc3 Nxd5 13.Qd2 Nxf4 14.Qxf4 Qe7 15.Bd3 Nc6 16.Rge1 Qd6 17.Qxd6 cxd6 
  6. 21 [+1.27]  7.Bf4 Nc6 8.g4 Be7 9.Qd2 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Be6 11.O-O-O Nd7 12.Nd5 O-O 13.h4 Bxh4 14.Qg1 g5 15.Be3 
  7. 21 [+1.23]  7.Nb3 Nc6 8.Be3 Be6 9.Qe2 g6 10.O-O-O a6 11.g4 Bg7 12.Kb1 Nd7 13.Qd2 Nb6 14.g5 
  8. 21 [+1.22]  7.Bg5 Nc6 8.Qd2 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Be6 10.O-O-O Be7 11.Be2 O-O 12.f4 Re8 13.Kb1 Rb8 14.h4 c6 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qe3 Qc7 17.g4 b5 18.e5 dxe5 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Ne4 Be7 
  9. 21 [+1.20]  7.b3 Nc6 8.Bb2 g6 9.Qd2 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Bg7 11.O-O-O O-O 12.Qd2 h5 13.Kb1 Bc6 14.h4 Re8 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.g4 b5 17.Bd5 Bxd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 
  10. 21 [+1.17]  7.a4 Be7 8.Be3 h5 9.Qd2 a6 10.O-O-O c5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nc6 13.Bc4 Rb8 14.Qe2 O-O 15.Bxc5 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Bxb5 
  11. 21 [+1.17]  7.Qe2 Nc6 8.Be3 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 Be7 10.O-O-O O-O 11.g4 b5 12.Nxb5 Rb8 13.Nc3 c5 14.Be3 Qa5 15.Qa6 Qb4 16.Qa3 Qxa3 17.bxa3 Be6 18.h4 Nd7 19.g5 
  12. 21 [+1.17]  7.Be2 Be7 8.Be3 c5 9.Ndb5 Be6 10.f4 a6 11.Nxd6+ Qxd6 12.Qxd6 Bxd6 13.e5 Be7 14.exf6 Bxf6 15.Bxc5 Nd7 16.Bb4 a5 17.Ba3 Bxc3+ 18.bxc3 O-O-O 19.O-O-O Nb6 20.Bc5 Nd5 
  13. 21 [+1.11]  7.a3 Nc6 8.Be3 Be7 9.Qd2 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 O-O 11.g4 b5 12.g5 Ne8 13.h4 c5 14.Be3 Nc7 15.O-O-O b4 16.axb4 cxb4 
  14. 21 [+1.10]  7.Qd2 Nc6 8.Qf2 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Be6 10.Be3 c6 11.O-O-O Qa5 12.g4 h6 13.Be2 Be7 14.Kb1 Nd7 15.f4 Bf6 
  15. 21 [+1.05]  7.Bd2 a6 8.g4 c5 9.Nf5 g6 10.g5 gxf5 11.gxf6 Qxf6 12.h4 Bh6 13.Bg5 Bxg5 14.hxg5 Qxg5 15.Qxd6 Be6 16.Qe5 
  16. 21 [+1.02]  7.g3 a6 8.Bf4 Nc6 9.Qd2 g6 10.Be3 Bg7 11.O-O-O b5 12.g4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 c5 14.Be3 b4 15.Nb1 Be6 16.Qxd6 Nd7 17.f4 Bxg4 18.Rd2 Qf6 19.e5 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 
  </code></pre>
  <p>And Bc4 is slightly worse</p>
  <pre><code>17. 21 [+0.97]  7.Bc4 a6 8.a4 c5 9.Nf5 Bxf5 10.exf5 Nc6 11.g4 h6 12.Bf4 Be7 13.h4 Nd4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Bxh4+ 16.Kf1 O-O 17.c3 Nc6 18.Qd2 Bg5 19.Re1 Bxf4 20.Qxf4 Qg5 21.Qxg5 hxg5 
  </code></pre>
  <p>Other moves involving the LSB are also slightly worse such as Bd3 or Bb5</p>
  <pre><code>18. 21 [+0.94]  7.Bd3 c5 8.Nde2 a6 9.Nf4 Be7 10.Be3 Bc6 11.g4 Nfd7 12.Qd2 Ne5 13.Be2 Bh4+ 14.Kf1 b5 15.Rd1 b4 16.Ncd5 O-O 
  19. 21 [+0.80]  7.Nde2 Nc6 8.Qd2 g6 9.b3 h5 10.Bb2 Bh6 11.f4 O-O 12.O-O-O Re8 13.h3 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Rxe4 15.g4 Qe7 16.g5 Bg7 17.Nc3 Rd4 18.Nd5 Rxd2 19.Nxe7+ Nxe7 20.Rxd2 Bc6 21.Bg2 Bxg2 22.Rxg2 
  20. 21 [+0.63]  7.Bb5 c6 
  </code></pre>
  <p>Is there a way to interpret this? <strong>I know the difference isn't that significant and sometimes it's hard to interpret StockFish</strong> but I'm trying to find ways to remember this line of the Maroczy Defence and explanations (even partial) would help. Maybe someone better than me will find this as making a lot of sense and following standard rules that I might oversee. Is there something special about Be3?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-04-29T14:21:03.787Z
Comments.Text: Well if trying to remember it I would think I more or less know where I want my dark squared bishop at the moment (e3) but I'm not quite sure where I want my white squared bishop yet (e2, d3 or c4 most likely). So let's play the "obvious" move and see if black does something which helps clarify the less obvious one. This is a fairly common principle in openings. As to exactly why Be3 might be at most marginally, just marginally, better than a zillion other moves, I have no good explanation.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ian Bush
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-04-29T17:33:26.313Z
Comments.Text: The line after Bc4 practically screams it: Black lashes out with all queenside pawns, and eventually kicks around Whites bishop and the Nd4, possibly also the Nc3. Bc4 only helps to do that. I would have played Be3 without even thinking.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Hauke Reddmann
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-04-30T13:37:49.577Z
Comments.Text: @IanBush Could you expand on why you think you want your DSB on e3 and not on f4 for example?
Comments.UserDisplayName: FluidMechanics Potential Flows
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-04-30T13:57:03.100Z
Comments.Text: What use is the bishop on f4? It gets in the way of the f pawn and is exposed to being hit by the black pieces. It can do everything on e3 that it can do on f4 without any of the downsides, plus it keeps an eye on d4 and the q side. On f4 it just hits the granite that is d6.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ian Bush
Tags: <opening>
Title: Why is Bc4 slightly worse than Be3 and many moves here?
ThreadText: # Why is Bc4 slightly worse than Be3 and many moves here?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-29)
  
  FEN is:
  rn1qkb1r/pppb1ppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/2N2P2/PPP3PP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7
  [StartFlipped "0"]
      [FEN "rn1qkb1r/pppb1ppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/2N2P2/PPP3PP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
  
  StockFish 16.1 says:
  Top move is Be3
  1. 21 [+1.60]  7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 c6 10.O-O-O Qa5 11.a3 O-O-O 12.Kb1 h5 13.Be2 Kb8 14.f4 Bc8 15.h3 h4 16.Rhe1 Ka8 17.f5 Nd7 18.Bc4 f6 
  
  Several moves are also good
  2. 21 [+1.40]  7.g4 Nc6 8.Be3 h6 9.h3 Be7 10.Qd2 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 c5 12.Be3 Qa5 13.O-O-O O-O-O 
  3. 21 [+1.38]  7.Qd3 a6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.O-O-O c5 10.Nf5 Bxf5 11.exf5 O-O 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Qxd6 Bd4 14.Qxd8 Rxd8 15.Be2 Nd7 16.Ne4 
  4. 21 [+1.37]  7.h4 Nh5 8.Nde2 Be7 9.Bg5 Nf6 10.Qd2 Nc6 11.O-O-O h6 12.Bf4 Ne5 13.Nd4 h5 14.Qe1 Qb8 15.Bg5 c6 16.Be2 Qc7 
  5. 21 [+1.34]  7.Rg1 d5 8.exd5 Be7 9.Bf4 O-O 10.Qd3 Bb4 11.O-O-O Bxc3 12.Qxc3 Nxd5 13.Qd2 Nxf4 14.Qxf4 Qe7 15.Bd3 Nc6 16.Rge1 Qd6 17.Qxd6 cxd6 
  6. 21 [+1.27]  7.Bf4 Nc6 8.g4 Be7 9.Qd2 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Be6 11.O-O-O Nd7 12.Nd5 O-O 13.h4 Bxh4 14.Qg1 g5 15.Be3 
  7. 21 [+1.23]  7.Nb3 Nc6 8.Be3 Be6 9.Qe2 g6 10.O-O-O a6 11.g4 Bg7 12.Kb1 Nd7 13.Qd2 Nb6 14.g5 
  8. 21 [+1.22]  7.Bg5 Nc6 8.Qd2 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Be6 10.O-O-O Be7 11.Be2 O-O 12.f4 Re8 13.Kb1 Rb8 14.h4 c6 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qe3 Qc7 17.g4 b5 18.e5 dxe5 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Ne4 Be7 
  9. 21 [+1.20]  7.b3 Nc6 8.Bb2 g6 9.Qd2 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Bg7 11.O-O-O O-O 12.Qd2 h5 13.Kb1 Bc6 14.h4 Re8 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.g4 b5 17.Bd5 Bxd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 
  10. 21 [+1.17]  7.a4 Be7 8.Be3 h5 9.Qd2 a6 10.O-O-O c5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nc6 13.Bc4 Rb8 14.Qe2 O-O 15.Bxc5 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Bxb5 
  11. 21 [+1.17]  7.Qe2 Nc6 8.Be3 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 Be7 10.O-O-O O-O 11.g4 b5 12.Nxb5 Rb8 13.Nc3 c5 14.Be3 Qa5 15.Qa6 Qb4 16.Qa3 Qxa3 17.bxa3 Be6 18.h4 Nd7 19.g5 
  12. 21 [+1.17]  7.Be2 Be7 8.Be3 c5 9.Ndb5 Be6 10.f4 a6 11.Nxd6+ Qxd6 12.Qxd6 Bxd6 13.e5 Be7 14.exf6 Bxf6 15.Bxc5 Nd7 16.Bb4 a5 17.Ba3 Bxc3+ 18.bxc3 O-O-O 19.O-O-O Nb6 20.Bc5 Nd5 
  13. 21 [+1.11]  7.a3 Nc6 8.Be3 Be7 9.Qd2 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 O-O 11.g4 b5 12.g5 Ne8 13.h4 c5 14.Be3 Nc7 15.O-O-O b4 16.axb4 cxb4 
  14. 21 [+1.10]  7.Qd2 Nc6 8.Qf2 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Be6 10.Be3 c6 11.O-O-O Qa5 12.g4 h6 13.Be2 Be7 14.Kb1 Nd7 15.f4 Bf6 
  15. 21 [+1.05]  7.Bd2 a6 8.g4 c5 9.Nf5 g6 10.g5 gxf5 11.gxf6 Qxf6 12.h4 Bh6 13.Bg5 Bxg5 14.hxg5 Qxg5 15.Qxd6 Be6 16.Qe5 
  16. 21 [+1.02]  7.g3 a6 8.Bf4 Nc6 9.Qd2 g6 10.Be3 Bg7 11.O-O-O b5 12.g4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 c5 14.Be3 b4 15.Nb1 Be6 16.Qxd6 Nd7 17.f4 Bxg4 18.Rd2 Qf6 19.e5 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 
  
  And Bc4 is slightly worse
  17. 21 [+0.97]  7.Bc4 a6 8.a4 c5 9.Nf5 Bxf5 10.exf5 Nc6 11.g4 h6 12.Bf4 Be7 13.h4 Nd4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Bxh4+ 16.Kf1 O-O 17.c3 Nc6 18.Qd2 Bg5 19.Re1 Bxf4 20.Qxf4 Qg5 21.Qxg5 hxg5 
  
  Other moves involving the LSB are also slightly worse such as Bd3 or Bb5
  18. 21 [+0.94]  7.Bd3 c5 8.Nde2 a6 9.Nf4 Be7 10.Be3 Bc6 11.g4 Nfd7 12.Qd2 Ne5 13.Be2 Bh4+ 14.Kf1 b5 15.Rd1 b4 16.Ncd5 O-O 
  19. 21 [+0.80]  7.Nde2 Nc6 8.Qd2 g6 9.b3 h5 10.Bb2 Bh6 11.f4 O-O 12.O-O-O Re8 13.h3 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Rxe4 15.g4 Qe7 16.g5 Bg7 17.Nc3 Rd4 18.Nd5 Rxd2 19.Nxe7+ Nxe7 20.Rxd2 Bc6 21.Bg2 Bxg2 22.Rxg2 
  20. 21 [+0.63]  7.Bb5 c6 
  
  Is there a way to interpret this? I know the difference isn't that significant and sometimes it's hard to interpret StockFish but I'm trying to find ways to remember this line of the Maroczy Defence and explanations (even partial) would help. Maybe someone better than me will find this as making a lot of sense and following standard rules that I might oversee. Is there something special about Be3?
  
  **Tags:** opening
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Well if trying to remember it I would think I more or less know where I want my dark squared bishop at the moment (e3) but I'm not quite sure where I want my white squared bishop yet (e2, d3 or c4 most likely). So let's play the "obvious" move and see if black does something which helps clarify the less obvious one. This is a fairly common principle in openings. As to exactly why Be3 might be at most marginally, just marginally, better than a zillion other moves, I have no good explanation.  
  > **username_2**: The line after Bc4 practically screams it: Black lashes out with all queenside pawns, and eventually kicks around Whites bishop and the Nd4, possibly also the Nc3. Bc4 only helps to do that. I would have played Be3 without even thinking.  
  > **username_0**: @IanBush Could you expand on why you think you want your DSB on e3 and not on f4 for example?  
  > **username_1**: What use is the bishop on f4? It gets in the way of the f pawn and is exposed to being hit by the black pieces. It can do everything on e3 that it can do on f4 without any of the downsides, plus it keeps an eye on d4 and the q side. On f4 it just hits the granite that is d6.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 0 answers
  
  