lichess.org
Donate

Beginner's problem

Hope there's room here for some simpletons. When I play against the Lichess machine [level 2 or 3] it mostly starts by attacking the bishop on f4 with moves like h6 then pawn g5. Retreating the bishop to g3 or h2 seems to get me very cramped up, especially if black's kingside knight joins in with moves like f6 then h5. What's the best response to such early kingside attacks?

Hope there's room here for some simpletons. When I play against the Lichess machine [level 2 or 3] it mostly starts by attacking the bishop on f4 with moves like h6 then pawn g5. Retreating the bishop to g3 or h2 seems to get me very cramped up, especially if black's kingside knight joins in with moves like f6 then h5. What's the best response to such early kingside attacks?

@amwalker3 Hi- could you please link one or three games where you played against the computer and he attacked your bishop? Thanks

@amwalker3 Hi- could you please link one or three games where you played against the computer and he attacked your bishop? Thanks

Hi, same for me, it occurs very often, from stockfish, and strangely, in games aganist lichess players (but not on other sites or OTB). I call it the "stockfish line" (:=))

I think lines we should play against it are related to the London Gambit-lit defense lines :

https://lichess.org/study/z7zyHqgV

https://lichess.org/study/L0t9p4T0

https://lichess.org/study/Gnqd5ZoN

I think you can't avoid black to play the g6 move, and white have to retreat the bishop and to accept to be cramped for a time. g6 generally don't come alone when you have played Nf3 before, but can be prepared by h6, as you said. The h4 seems to be a good move.
When you go through this attack that tried to trap the dark suqare bishop, black has no real good plan and white will be better. By attacking queenside, i think black has nowhere to hide his king (si if black plays Nc6 in this setup, exchanging it against the light square bishop should be good for white, i think).

Hi, same for me, it occurs very often, from stockfish, and strangely, in games aganist lichess players (but not on other sites or OTB). I call it the "stockfish line" (:=)) I think lines we should play against it are related to the London Gambit-lit defense lines : https://lichess.org/study/z7zyHqgV https://lichess.org/study/L0t9p4T0 https://lichess.org/study/Gnqd5ZoN I think you can't avoid black to play the g6 move, and white have to retreat the bishop and to accept to be cramped for a time. g6 generally don't come alone when you have played Nf3 before, but can be prepared by h6, as you said. The h4 seems to be a good move. When you go through this attack that tried to trap the dark suqare bishop, black has no real good plan and white will be better. By attacking queenside, i think black has nowhere to hide his king (si if black plays Nc6 in this setup, exchanging it against the light square bishop should be good for white, i think).

h6-g5 is pretty weak as it wastes too much time. The only way to play g5 is 1...Nf6, 2...c6 and if 3. e3, 3...g5!! This way you don't waste a move with h6, set a deadly trap, and grab the initiative.

h6-g5 is pretty weak as it wastes too much time. The only way to play g5 is 1...Nf6, 2...c6 and if 3. e3, 3...g5!! This way you don't waste a move with h6, set a deadly trap, and grab the initiative.

Promotes lit defense without actually answering the question

*Promotes lit defense without actually answering the question*

This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.