Great video, Sam. I lost to a player rated 150 points lower than me in a tournament 16 moves after playing b6. That game broke my heart, and I dropped the Catalan. Your enthusiasm and instructive material are making me study it and play it again.
Yeah good question - I would actually say the bishop is an important attacking piece long-term (as seen later on in the game), so allowing such an exchange really does feel in Black's favour. Not to mention that typically in these sorts of Benoni positions, Black is quite cramped, and allowing minor piece exchanges alleviates the pressure from their space disadvantage.
Great video, Sam. I lost to a player rated 150 points lower than me in a tournament 16 moves after playing b6. That game broke my heart, and I dropped the Catalan. Your enthusiasm and instructive material are making me study it and play it again.
Moar reaching 1000!
4:36 Why didn't you want to give up the light square bishop considering it is such a bad piece as it is completely blocked by the pawns?
Yeah good question - I would actually say the bishop is an important attacking piece long-term (as seen later on in the game), so allowing such an exchange really does feel in Black's favour.
Not to mention that typically in these sorts of Benoni positions, Black is quite cramped, and allowing minor piece exchanges alleviates the pressure from their space disadvantage.