Answers.Body: <p>You mentioned a few things already: activity of the rooks and the superiority of the bishop over the knight. Here are few more observations:</p>
  <ul>
  <li><p>The rook d4 is currently under attack and has to move. It can't move whereever it pleases either because after, for instance, Rd4-d2 the bishop g7 and the rook c7 could take on c3, immediately winning a pawn. The rook has to go to d3 preventing that.</p>
  </li>
  <li><p>after 1. Rd3 the black rook on e8 can invade the second rank, either with or without taking on c3 first.</p>
  </li>
  <li><p>You mentioned 1. Re4 to prevent that. This is correct but after 1. ... Rec8 the piece on c3 hangs again and the second-rank invasion still happens (2. N somewhere Rc2).</p>
  </li>
  <li><p>one last thing: you mentioned that whites kingside pawns are weak and that is correct. The reason is not so much that they don't cover each other (you mentioned putting the pawn h4 back to h3) but that the pawns are already far advanced. One of the key takeaways from reading Nimzowitschs &quot;My System&quot; (I strongly recommend to read it) is that pawns become weaker the farther they advance. &quot;Weak&quot; here means they need the cover of other pieces to protect them. Since the white rooks are far less active than the black ones they will tend to become burdened with this additional task which leaves even less room for active counterplay.</p>
  </li>
  </ul>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-05-24T10:04:30.907Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2024-05-24T14:01:45.350Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2024-05-24T14:01:45.350Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: bakunin
Body: <pre><code>[Title &quot;White to move&quot;]
  [FEN &quot;4r1k1/pp3pb1/2r3pp/8/3R2PP/2N5/PP3P2/1K4R1 w - - 0 27&quot;]
  </code></pre>
  <p>This position is from the TCEC Season 26 superfinal, <a href="https://tcec-chess.com/#div=sf&amp;game=21&amp;season=26" rel="nofollow noreferrer">game 21</a> with White to play. It looks quiet enough to me that I'd expect an eval close to 0.00, but both Stockfish and Leela saw a large black advantage, and Stockfish (black) eventually won.</p>
  <p>I'm wondering where the advantage is coming from. Black's rooks are currently more active, and Black has the bishop (which should be superior to the knight in an endgame), but a -1.4 evaluation seems surprisingly high.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-05-19T02:55:39.527Z
Comments.Text: You gave the answer! Activity is everything. Modern machines have put a greater emphasis on this than traditional ones. Add to the activity of rooks the committed pawn weaknesses on kingside. Threat of a rook on 4 th rank will paralyze the other white rook while the other must guard the N on c3. That N even if given tempi has no stable outposts to hope for and black king is absolutely safe.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Behnam Esmayli
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-05-19T04:10:14.987Z
Comments.Text: @BehnamEsmayli are the pawns on the Kingside that weak? I moved the pawn on h4 to h3, and Black still had a noticeable advantage (according to engine eval).
Comments.UserDisplayName: Allure
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-05-19T04:44:32.860Z
Comments.Text: @Allure:  yes, this is a pet peeve of mine.  We see many positions where the move is not indicated.  Some of them overlook a move like this.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ross Millikan
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-05-19T06:56:16.660Z
Comments.Text: Another White problem: After an exchange on c3, Re2 with a rook invasion on the 2nd rank with the king caught on 1st.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Hauke Reddmann
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-05-19T10:24:50.550Z
Comments.Text: @HaukeReddmann White has Re4 though. After ...Rxe4 Nxe4 there is no rook invasion on 2nd rank.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Allure
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-05-19T15:53:53.960Z
Comments.Text: But black will sidestep to d8.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Behnam Esmayli
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-05-19T15:57:01.497Z
Comments.Text: @Allure it is an accumulation of factors. Remember the rule of two (or more) weaknesses. Weakness on kingside is one more worry on white’s list. All in all it is the prospect of extreme activation of all forces by Black while white’s pieces struggle to coordinate and find any targets. Somewher something will break. Some piece will get over worked, etc. It is great practice to play out such games against pc or a friend with both colors and learn technique.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Behnam Esmayli
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-05-20T03:44:57.733Z
Comments.Text: @BehnamEsmayli 1. Re4 Rd8 2. Kc2 and then? I'd also suggest writing an answer instead of answering in the comments.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Allure
Tags: <analysis><evaluation>
Title: Why is this position so good for Black?
ThreadText: # Why is this position so good for Black?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2024-05-19)
  
  ```
  [Title "White to move"]
  [FEN "4r1k1/pp3pb1/2r3pp/8/3R2PP/2N5/PP3P2/1K4R1 w - - 0 27"]
  
  ```
  
  This position is from the TCEC Season 26 superfinal, [game 21](https://tcec-chess.com/#div=sf&game=21&season=26) with White to play. It looks quiet enough to me that I'd expect an eval close to 0.00, but both Stockfish and Leela saw a large black advantage, and Stockfish (black) eventually won.
  
  I'm wondering where the advantage is coming from. Black's rooks are currently more active, and Black has the bishop (which should be superior to the knight in an endgame), but a -1.4 evaluation seems surprisingly high.
  
  **Tags:** analysis, evaluation
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: You gave the answer! Activity is everything. Modern machines have put a greater emphasis on this than traditional ones. Add to the activity of rooks the committed pawn weaknesses on kingside. Threat of a rook on 4 th rank will paralyze the other white rook while the other must guard the N on c3. That N even if given tempi has no stable outposts to hope for and black king is absolutely safe.  
  > **username_0**: @username_1 are the pawns on the Kingside that weak? I moved the pawn on h4 to h3, and Black still had a noticeable advantage (according to engine eval).  
  > **username_2**: @username_0:  yes, this is a pet peeve of mine.  We see many positions where the move is not indicated.  Some of them overlook a move like this.  
  > **username_3**: Another White problem: After an exchange on c3, Re2 with a rook invasion on the 2nd rank with the king caught on 1st.  
  > **username_0**: @username_3 White has Re4 though. After ...Rxe4 Nxe4 there is no rook invasion on 2nd rank.  
  > **username_1**: But black will sidestep to d8.  
  > **username_1**: @username_0 it is an accumulation of factors. Remember the rule of two (or more) weaknesses. Weakness on kingside is one more worry on white’s list. All in all it is the prospect of extreme activation of all forces by Black while white’s pieces struggle to coordinate and find any targets. Somewher something will break. Some piece will get over worked, etc. It is great practice to play out such games against pc or a friend with both colors and learn technique.  
  > **username_0**: @username_1 1. Re4 Rd8 2. Kc2 and then? I'd also suggest writing an answer instead of answering in the comments.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2024-05-24. Score: 1
  
  You mentioned a few things already: activity of the rooks and the superiority of the bishop over the knight. Here are few more observations:
  
  * The rook d4 is currently under attack and has to move. It can't move whereever it pleases either because after, for instance, Rd4-d2 the bishop g7 and the rook c7 could take on c3, immediately winning a pawn. The rook has to go to d3 preventing that.
  * after 1. Rd3 the black rook on e8 can invade the second rank, either with or without taking on c3 first.
  * You mentioned 1. Re4 to prevent that. This is correct but after 1. ... Rec8 the piece on c3 hangs again and the second-rank invasion still happens (2. N somewhere Rc2).
  * one last thing: you mentioned that whites kingside pawns are weak and that is correct. The reason is not so much that they don't cover each other (you mentioned putting the pawn h4 back to h3) but that the pawns are already far advanced. One of the key takeaways from reading Nimzowitschs "My System" (I strongly recommend to read it) is that pawns become weaker the farther they advance. "Weak" here means they need the cover of other pieces to protect them. Since the white rooks are far less active than the black ones they will tend to become burdened with this additional task which leaves even less room for active counterplay.
  
  
  ---
  
  