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| Black has just played 12...Ng6-f4 |
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What should White do about the g2 pawn - defend it, move it or do something else altogether?
The first option is not very palatable - the king's rook hardly improves its position by moving from behind one pawn on the second rank to behind another pawn on the second rank.
Moving the g pawn seems slightly better, and if 13.g3 is met by 13...Nh3, then 14.Be3 is fine as 14...f5 can be met by 15.Rhe1.
I played 13.Nce2?, after which 13...Nxg2 simply won a pawn as the knight cannot be trapped, eg 14.R(either)g1 is met by 14...Bh3. I continued 14.h4, but Black replied 14...g6, assuring the knight's safety.
However, my basic idea was correct - the g2 pawn is poisoned if White makes the right move, 14.Nde2, as 14...Nxg2? runs into 15.Rxd7! Kxd7 16.Rg1. But 14.Nde2 is not just a trappy way to indirectly defend the g2 pawn - Black is obliged to either retreat the knight or exchange it on e2, so the knight has to leave its forward post, which is why Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon 14.Nde2 is the best move in the diagrammed position.
LESSON: when setting a trap, it is vital to set it correctly.
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