Answers.Body: <p>Trapping the bishop on c2 is a possibility, but it helps you develop your pieces for a general attack, depending on your opponent's moves.  It adds threats that tie up enemy pieces defending and moves the attack to the enemy.</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;rn1qkb1r/pp3ppp/2p1p3/4P3/2BP2P1/5N1P/PPbBQ3/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 1&quot;]
  
  1. h4 h5 2. Ng5 Be7 3. Qf2 Bg6
  </code></pre>
  <p>Following the engine line (which you can see in analysis on chess.com), black moves the pawn to h5 to give the bishop on c2 a retreat.  That gives an outpost for your knight on g5.  It's always nice to have a knight on a protected square in enemy territory.  Your queen can slide over to f3.  This forces the bishop on c2 back to g6 to protect the pawn on f7 which is being attacked by your queen and knight (or the rook over from h8 to f8 to protect it).</p>
  <p>If it didn't get some extra protection, there are two possible attacks which the king couldn't protect.  You could move the queen there to deliver check and force the king to d7.  Then the queen could take the pawn on g7 and threaten the rook.  You'd be up two pawns and have the queen deep in enemy territory.  The other attack is even better though.  You could take the pawn with your knight which would fork the black queen and rook.  Black would have to move the queen and you could take the rook.  Then you could bring the queen in if you want.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-10-18T13:03:34.187Z
Answers.Text: Thats definitely a nice thought
Answers.UserDisplayName: DatBoi
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Jason Goemaat
Answers.Body: <p>The main idea is to try to trap the c2-bishop. After h4 White is threatening to play Rc1 and black can't save the bishop. That's why black should play ...h5 giving their bishop a retreat square. Note that if h4 h6, then there is Bxh6 and c2 is hanging.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-10-17T20:07:25.170Z
Answers.Text: When you ask "should the enemy bishop be left to stay there? you seem to be thinking of that Bishop as a danger. In fact, an enemy piece that is stranded in your half of the board and has no colleagues to combine with is usually not a danger to you but an opportunity for you. As @nymi points out. it is in danger of getting trapped. That thought, depriving the Bishop of its retreats, is what would lead you to consider h4.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Philip Roe
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Answers.CreationDate: 2021-10-18T11:56:51.767Z
Answers.Text: This doesn't justify h4 beyond the shallow tactical threat. Stockfish sees the threat and the response h5, of course. The question is, is the position after h4-h5 a positional improvement for white, and how?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Mateen Ulhaq
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Answers.Text: @PhilipRoe thanks for the insight, that makes a lot of sense
Answers.UserDisplayName: DatBoi
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Answers.CreationDate: 2021-10-18T13:05:48.720Z
Answers.Text: I also agree with @MateenUlhaq. If the opponent in fact plays h5 noticing the bishop being trapped, what would that lead to?
Answers.UserDisplayName: DatBoi
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Answers.Text: @Mateen Lithaq. You misunderstood me. I wanted to point out that Bc2 should not be feared, but regarded as an opportunity for tactical play, which makes h4 a forcing move, and we should always look for forcing moves, even those that can be regarded as "shallow threats". Having found them, we must of course see whether they have other merits. Stockfish thinks so, but I donr think anyone is claiming anything decisive.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Philip Roe
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Answers.CreationDate: 2021-10-19T11:50:23.710Z
Answers.Text: Couldn't the black bishop run to a4-b5?
Answers.UserDisplayName: justhalf
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Answers.Text: @justhalf if bishop goes to a4, then white continues pressuring with pawn to b3, bishop goes back to b5, white takes with bishop, black can retake with pawn, white can take the pawn with queen and check. White ends up a pawn.
Answers.UserDisplayName: David Jacobsen
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Answers.Text: Yes, that's what I imagine. So only winning a pawn at the end. Initially I thought "can't save the bishop" means white will up a piece. It's a trade with another bishop.
Answers.UserDisplayName: justhalf
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Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-10-18T20:56:36.587Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: nyymi
Body: <p>Analyzing my latest game on chess.com, Stockfish says that h4 is the best move here:</p>
  <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mPI7E.png" width="500">
  <p>I followed the line, but I failed to understand the reasoning of this move. Is it for some long-term advantage? Also, should the enemy bishop be left to stay there?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-10-17T22:39:28.023Z
Comments.Text: Which line is that?
Comments.UserDisplayName: David
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-10-17T23:27:41.357Z
Comments.Text: FEN for anyone who needs it: rn1qkb1r/pp3ppp/2p1p3/4P3/2BP2P1/5N1P/PPbBQ3/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 1
Comments.UserDisplayName: Allure
Tags: <analysis><tactics><stockfish>
Title: Why does Stockfish suggest h4 here?
ThreadText: # Why does Stockfish suggest h4 here?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2021-10-17)
  
  Analyzing my latest game on chess.com, Stockfish says that h4 is the best move here:
  
  ![](https://i.sstatic.net/mPI7E.png)
  
  I followed the line, but I failed to understand the reasoning of this move. Is it for some long-term advantage? Also, should the enemy bishop be left to stay there?
  
  **Tags:** analysis, tactics, stockfish
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Which line is that?  
  > **username_2**: FEN for anyone who needs it: rn1qkb1r/pp3ppp/2p1p3/4P3/2BP2P1/5N1P/PPbBQ3/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 1  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2021-10-17. Score: 28 | Accepted answer
  
  The main idea is to try to trap the c2-bishop. After h4 White is threatening to play Rc1 and black can't save the bishop. That's why black should play ...h5 giving their bishop a retreat square. Note that if h4 h6, then there is Bxh6 and c2 is hanging.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: When you ask "should the enemy bishop be left to stay there? you seem to be thinking of that Bishop as a danger. In fact, an enemy piece that is stranded in your half of the board and has no colleagues to combine with is usually not a danger to you but an opportunity for you. As @nymi points out. it is in danger of getting trapped. That thought, depriving the Bishop of its retreats, is what would lead you to consider h4.  
  > **username_6**: This doesn't justify h4 beyond the shallow tactical threat. Stockfish sees the threat and the response h5, of course. The question is, is the position after h4-h5 a positional improvement for white, and how?  
  > **username_0**: @username_5 thanks for the insight, that makes a lot of sense  
  > **username_0**: I also agree with @username_6. If the opponent in fact plays h5 noticing the bishop being trapped, what would that lead to?  
  > **username_5**: @username_6 Lithaq. You misunderstood me. I wanted to point out that Bc2 should not be feared, but regarded as an opportunity for tactical play, which makes h4 a forcing move, and we should always look for forcing moves, even those that can be regarded as "shallow threats". Having found them, we must of course see whether they have other merits. Stockfish thinks so, but I donr think anyone is claiming anything decisive.  
  > **username_7**: Couldn't the black bishop run to a4-b5?  
  > **username_8**: @username_7 if bishop goes to a4, then white continues pressuring with pawn to b3, bishop goes back to b5, white takes with bishop, black can retake with pawn, white can take the pawn with queen and check. White ends up a pawn.  
  > **username_7**: Yes, that's what I imagine. So only winning a pawn at the end. Initially I thought "can't save the bishop" means white will up a piece. It's a trade with another bishop.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2021-10-18. Score: 11
  
  Trapping the bishop on c2 is a possibility, but it helps you develop your pieces for a general attack, depending on your opponent's moves. It adds threats that tie up enemy pieces defending and moves the attack to the enemy.
  
  ```
  [FEN "rn1qkb1r/pp3ppp/2p1p3/4P3/2BP2P1/5N1P/PPbBQ3/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 1"]
  
  1. h4 h5 2. Ng5 Be7 3. Qf2 Bg6
  
  ```
  
  Following the engine line (which you can see in analysis on chess.com), black moves the pawn to h5 to give the bishop on c2 a retreat. That gives an outpost for your knight on g5. It's always nice to have a knight on a protected square in enemy territory. Your queen can slide over to f3. This forces the bishop on c2 back to g6 to protect the pawn on f7 which is being attacked by your queen and knight (or the rook over from h8 to f8 to protect it).
  
  If it didn't get some extra protection, there are two possible attacks which the king couldn't protect. You could move the queen there to deliver check and force the king to d7. Then the queen could take the pawn on g7 and threaten the rook. You'd be up two pawns and have the queen deep in enemy territory. The other attack is even better though. You could take the pawn with your knight which would fork the black queen and rook. Black would have to move the queen and you could take the rook. Then you could bring the queen in if you want.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Thats definitely a nice thought  
  
  ---
  
  