Lessons From Prague 9

IN round nine with white, after six moves of the Modern Defence, 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6!? 4.f4 d5 5.e5 Nh6 6.Nf3 f6, I reached the following position.

How should White proceed?

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Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1 reckon White is at least slightly better.

White's advantage stems from having more central space, and that space advantage can be maintained without effort by developing a bishop or, as Stockish15.1 suggests, by 7.h3.

Instead I played 7.exf6?!, and after 7...exf6 the engines reckon Black is at least level.

I had originally intended continuing 8.Qe2+, thinking White must have an edge after 8...Qe7 9.Qxe7+ Kxe7.

Not only is an such edge doubtful - the black king has a safe square at f7 - but Black can instead play 8...Kf7, when the line-up of white king and queen on the e file, with the white king unable to immediately castle, can only favour Black.

LESSON: when surrendering an advantage, in this case's White's extra central space, one must be sure of getting something tangible, and of at least equal value, in return.