Liu,Shilan vs. Haentsch,Ralf - FIDE WSTC Open 50 2025 1/2-1/2
In the FIDE WSTC Open 50 event on 2025.02.20, Liu Shilan played the move Bg5 with white pieces against Haentsch Ralf's black pieces. This move is often considered a somewhat aggressive and unusual choice, as it does not directly threaten any of Black's pieces or pawns.
By playing Bg5, Liu Shilan creates an opportunity to potentially gain a tempo advantage by developing her bishop earlier than usual. However, this move also forces Haentsch Ralf to respond with a piece development, which can limit his mobility and create a pinning situation on the board.
In contrast to more typical bishop moves that aim to control key squares or prepare for pawn breaks, Bg5 aims to develop the bishop in a somewhat more indirect way. Nevertheless, it does pin Haentsch Ralf's knight on the f-file, which can be a significant advantage.
On the other hand, by playing Bg5, Liu Shilan misses the opportunity to control the d5 square, which could have been an important central pawn structure. Additionally, she gives up potential mobility for her bishop by not preparing it for more active play on open files or diagonals.
Overall, while the move Bg5 does offer some advantages in terms of developing the piece and gaining tempo, it also comes with significant drawbacks and missed opportunities, making it a somewhat questionable choice at this particular moment.
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[Date "2025.02.20"]