Answers.Body: <p>After 17 Bxc5 Bxc5 18 ed Qxd5 no pawn is lost due to the mate threat at g2.
  Black has two active bishops and threatens Rad8 with pressure on the d pawn. If white does not exchange pawns then black can play Qd7 and Rad8.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-01-22T00:08:41.587Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-01-22T00:08:41.587Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: CWallach
Body: <p>I'm considering taking up the Breyer defence to the Ruy Lopez as Black and played an internet game which went</p>
  
  <pre><code>  [StartPly "29"]
    [White "White"]
    [Black "Black"]
    [FEN ""]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. h3 O-O 9. c3 Nb8 10. d3 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Nbd7 12. Nf1 Re8 13. Ng3 Nc5 14. Bc2 Bf8 15. Bg5
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This move 15.Bg5 is not in my book on the Ruy Lopez. The computer suggests 15...h6 16.Be3 d5 which doesn't seem right unless Black gets clear compensation for the pawn. All Black's minor pieces seem well placed except the Bishop on f8. What are Black's plans in this position?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-21T20:29:43.357Z
Comments.Text: Maybe I don't understand something, but clear compensation for *what* pawn?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Jeff Y
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-23T11:36:34.903Z
Comments.Text: After 16...d5 if White plays 17 Bxc5 Bxc5 18.exd5 and Black doesn't recapture with the Queen then the e5 pawn drops. If he does then White has Bb3 with tempo.
Comments.UserDisplayName: magd
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-23T11:44:01.950Z
Comments.Text: Still it seems like ...Qxd5 is the best recapture and gives Black an open position with the two bishops so it should be preferred.
Comments.UserDisplayName: magd
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-23T12:06:54.363Z
Comments.Text: Yes. And after 18...Qxd5 19.Bb3, Black has the option to set a "dropped pawn" trap with 19...Qc6 <feign blunder> :-).
Comments.UserDisplayName: Jeff Y
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-07-28T19:07:42.657Z
Comments.Text: Bg5 does not seem strongly motivated. The "threat" to capture on f6 is pointless and it is not surprising that it is not in the book. Neither am I surprised that the tactics work out just fine in the line you dislike. One tempo does not make a summer.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Philip Roe
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-10-28T23:52:59.897Z
Comments.Text: @PhilipRoe thanks, I agree. As it happens I used your averages in my PhD.
Comments.UserDisplayName: magd
Tags: <opening><ruy-lopez><planning>
Title: What are Black's plans in this position from the Breyer defence?
ThreadText: # What are Black's plans in this position from the Breyer defence?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-01-21)
  
  I'm considering taking up the Breyer defence to the Ruy Lopez as Black and played an internet game which went
  
  ```
    [StartPly "29"]
    [White "White"]
    [Black "Black"]
    [FEN ""]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. h3 O-O 9. c3 Nb8 10. d3 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Nbd7 12. Nf1 Re8 13. Ng3 Nc5 14. Bc2 Bf8 15. Bg5
  
  ```
  
  This move 15.Bg5 is not in my book on the Ruy Lopez. The computer suggests 15...h6 16.Be3 d5 which doesn't seem right unless Black gets clear compensation for the pawn. All Black's minor pieces seem well placed except the Bishop on f8. What are Black's plans in this position?
  
  **Tags:** opening, ruy-lopez, planning
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Maybe I don't understand something, but clear compensation for *what* pawn?  
  > **username_0**: After 16...d5 if White plays 17 Bxc5 Bxc5 18.exd5 and Black doesn't recapture with the Queen then the e5 pawn drops. If he does then White has Bb3 with tempo.  
  > **username_0**: Still it seems like ...Qxd5 is the best recapture and gives Black an open position with the two bishops so it should be preferred.  
  > **username_1**: Yes. And after 18...Qxd5 19.Bb3, Black has the option to set a "dropped pawn" trap with 19...Qc6 <feign blunder> :-).  
  > **username_2**: Bg5 does not seem strongly motivated. The "threat" to capture on f6 is pointless and it is not surprising that it is not in the book. Neither am I surprised that the tactics work out just fine in the line you dislike. One tempo does not make a summer.  
  > **username_0**: @username_2 thanks, I agree. As it happens I used your averages in my PhD.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2016-01-22. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
  
  After 17 Bxc5 Bxc5 18 ed Qxd5 no pawn is lost due to the mate threat at g2.
  Black has two active bishops and threatens Rad8 with pressure on the d pawn. If white does not exchange pawns then black can play Qd7 and Rad8.
  
  
  ---
  
  