Lessons From Liverpool: Exceptions That Test The Rules

MY round-five game reached the following position after 17 moves.

Black has just played 17...Rfd8?! (17...Nd5 is better) in Alan Prince (1831 ECF/1791 Fide) - Spanton (1947 ECF/1982 Fide)

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White is at least slightly better after almost any reasonable move, but the game's 18.Bxc6! is best.

It flies in the face of the oft-repeated advice not to give up a bishop that has been fianchettoed in front of the king.

The point of White's play is that after 18...bxc6 19.Nxa5 the white kingside is full of holes, and the white knight is stuck out on a limb, BUT Black has no way of exploiting these factors.

Indeed, Black's queenside weaknesses are probably more significant than White's on the kingside.

At any event Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon White's advantage is worth about 2.5 pawns.

LESSON: chess 'rules' such as not exchanging a fianchettoed bishop are useful starting points for picking a move, but they should be treated as aids, not commands.