Answers.Body: <p>In these lines of two knight's defence black is pawn down - so he has to gain activity, to compensate for it.</p>
  <p>After <strong>8. ... Qxd7</strong>, you are pressuring white <em>d5</em> pawn, so white has to play <strong>9. c4</strong> and then you can finally undermine white center by <strong>9. ... c6</strong>, gaining sufficient activity.</p>
  <p>After <strong>8. ... Nxd7</strong> white can just reinforce his knight with <strong>9. h4</strong>, since you have no pressure on <em>d5</em> - your own knight is in the way of your queen. So white can just play <strong>Nc3</strong> and <strong>O-O</strong> and enjoy his pawn more.</p>
  
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Answers.Text: I think you meant to say d5, not d4. Also on an unrelated note, a fun line here is as follows: after 8. ... Nxd7 9. h4 and ...h6 which kicks out the knight, white plays 10. Ne6!! and ...fxe6 11. Qh5+ Kf8 12. dxe6 white is winning with the double threats of 13. exd7 and 13. Qf7#.
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Answers.CreationDate: 2024-04-02T05:00:54.090Z
Answers.Text: @Stockfischer well spotted - I will edit.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Matija Sirk
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Answers.LastEditDate: 2024-04-02T05:01:08.740Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Matija Sirk
Body: <p>In the following position, it seems to make sense to me to recapture white's light squared bishop with Nxd7 which would add a defender to black's hanging central pawn, however according to engines this gives white a +1 advantage, could someone explain to me as to why, I'm really busting my head on this one.</p>
  <pre><code>[Event &quot;?&quot;]
  [Site &quot;?&quot;]
  [Date &quot;?&quot;]
  [Round &quot;?&quot;]
  [White &quot;?&quot;]
  [Black &quot;?&quot;]
  [Result &quot;?&quot;]
  [Title &quot;2 Knights defence: Polerio Defence&quot;]
  [FEN &quot;&quot;]
  [StartPly &quot;15&quot;]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Qe2 Be7 8. Bxd7+
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-04-02T00:11:45.483Z
Comments.Text: I personally am willing to give black more of an initiative in these lines as long as I can safely hang on to the extra pawn. I find this to offer better winning chances, and if you're willing to sit back and defend an slightly unpleasant middlegame to enter a superior endgame then I'd recommend 8. Nf3 instead of the much sharper but forced 8. Bxd7 Qxd7 9. c4 c6 10. d4 exd4 11. Bd2 0-0 line with equal material where the black a5 knight is uncomfortable (frankly, trapped), but black has a lead in development and will seize the e-file and with dire consequences if white doesn't castle.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Stockfischer
Tags: <italian-game>
Title: In the Polerio defence of the Italian game - 2 knights variation, why does capturing with the knight give white an advantage
ThreadText: # In the Polerio defence of the Italian game - 2 knights variation, why does capturing with the knight give white an advantage
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-01)
  
  In the following position, it seems to make sense to me to recapture white's light squared bishop with Nxd7 which would add a defender to black's hanging central pawn, however according to engines this gives white a +1 advantage, could someone explain to me as to why, I'm really busting my head on this one.
  [Event "?"]
  [Site "?"]
  [Date "?"]
  [Round "?"]
  [White "?"]
  [Black "?"]
  [Result "?"]
  [Title "2 Knights defence: Polerio Defence"]
  [FEN ""]
  [StartPly "15"]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Qe2 Be7 8. Bxd7+
  
  **Tags:** italian-game
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: I personally am willing to give black more of an initiative in these lines as long as I can safely hang on to the extra pawn. I find this to offer better winning chances, and if you're willing to sit back and defend an slightly unpleasant middlegame to enter a superior endgame then I'd recommend 8. Nf3 instead of the much sharper but forced 8. Bxd7 Qxd7 9. c4 c6 10. d4 exd4 11. Bd2 0-0 line with equal material where the black a5 knight is uncomfortable (frankly, trapped), but black has a lead in development and will seize the e-file and with dire consequences if white doesn't castle.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2024-04-01. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
  
  In these lines of two knight's defence black is pawn down - so he has to gain activity, to compensate for it.
  
  After **8. ... Qxd7**, you are pressuring white *d5* pawn, so white has to play **9. c4** and then you can finally undermine white center by **9. ... c6**, gaining sufficient activity.
  
  After **8. ... Nxd7** white can just reinforce his knight with **9. h4**, since you have no pressure on *d5* - your own knight is in the way of your queen. So white can just play **Nc3** and **O-O** and enjoy his pawn more.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: I think you meant to say d5, not d4. Also on an unrelated note, a fun line here is as follows: after 8. ... Nxd7 9. h4 and ...h6 which kicks out the knight, white plays 10. Ne6!! and ...fxe6 11. Qh5+ Kf8 12. dxe6 white is winning with the double threats of 13. exd7 and 13. Qf7#.  
  > **username_2**: @username_1 well spotted - I will edit.  
  
  ---
  
  