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| Black has just castled in this Giuoco Piano position, which occurs 1,951 times in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database |
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The black king's knight is ideally placed on the blockading square d5, and Black is threatening to put pressure on the isolated queen's pawn by playing 11...Bg4.
Accordingly my opponent, rated 2015, played 11.h3!?, reaching a position occurring 264 times in Mega24.
As I noted when I posted the game, whites in the position have included old-time greats Howard Staunton, Johann Löwenthal and George MacDonnell.
In more modern times, specifically the last two years, 11.h3!? has been played by at least four players rated over 2200.
I wonder how many of these players realised the move offers a pawn?
The point is Black can reply 11...Nb6, after which the d pawn cannot be defended.
This is not the end of the world for White, who has a slight lead in development on an open board.
But Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer Black, who scores an excellent 65% in Mega24.
LESSON: blockaders can move!
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