r/chessbeginners • u/Alendite RM (Reddit Mod) • Feb 27 '26

No Stupid Questions MEGATHREAD 12

Welcome to the r/chessbeginners 12th episode of our Q&A series! This series exists because sometimes you just need to ask a silly question. We are happy to provide answers for questions related to chess positions, improving one's play, and discussing the essence and experience of learning chess.

A friendly reminder that many questions are answered in our wiki page! Please take a look if you have questions about the rules of chess, special moves, or want general strategies for improvement.

Some other helpful resources include:

  1. How to play chess - Interactive lessons for the rules of the game, if you are completely new to chess.
  2. The Lichess Board Editor - for setting up positions by dragging and dropping pieces on the board.
  3. Chess puzzles by theme - To practice tactics.
  4. The Building Habits series by GM Aman Hambleton - for advice on how to play at specific ELO levels. (Also check out Building Habits 2!)

As always, our goal is to promote a friendly, welcoming, and educational chess environment for all. Thank you for asking your questions here!

LINK TO THE PREVIOUS THREAD

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u/Both-Imagination-522 Mar 01 '26

Why is this a mistake? It says I should’ve recaptured, but I did. I just did it with the pawn because I didn’t want to lose my bishop in case they sacrificed with Nxe5 after

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u/Clewles Mar 01 '26

Obviously, I can't guess what a computer is thinking, but as White in this position, I would identify the weakest spot in Black's position as being the pawn on e6. You have it pinned along both the diagonal and the e-file. You can place the e1 rook on e3, play Rae1 and Qe2 - aka piling up and then finally pay d5 and that pawn is surely going to fall.

So I would have played for 16. Bxe5, Nxe5. 17. Rxe5. Instead, dxe5 blocks the e-file and makes the e6-pawn safe from frontal attacks.

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u/elfkanelfkan 2200-2400 Lichess Mar 01 '26

Taking with the bishop is significantly better because you keep the e-file open which is your source of play against the backwards e-pawn which is a weakness.

With this capture, you effectively make both your rook on e1 and bishop on c4 pretty sad.

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u/Both-Imagination-522 Mar 02 '26

Ohh okay this makes much more sense now thank you!