Interesting choice, moving that knight instead of the other one.

Hmm. Should I (or rather, White) go for a more strategic move, like Bb7 or Nc6, or would it be better to try and open up the game with d5? Hmmmm....

See now I'm just confused. Wouldn't those be black moves, not white?

.....s/White/Black/ *whistles*...

Forgive me, it's 5:38 in the morning over here. :P

If it wasn't here, I'd be more likely to accept your excuse ;)

<_<

You could always Ba6 if you want to have fun :D

And by fun I don't mean fun.

@Geobits Haha yeah no. :P

Oooh, right, there are two knights that can move there.

@Geobits ....well, are you gonna make the move or not? :P

Oh, I was just giving you my opinion. It sounded like you were going to make one, and just wanted input ;)

Okay, fine. :P

7. ... Nb8c6
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |  .|bB |bQ.|   |bR.|bK |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.|   |  .| b |bN.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   | b.|bN |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|wB |wB.|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |wN.|wQ | w.| w | w.|

8. Ng1f3
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |  .|bB |bQ.|   |bR.|bK |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.|   |  .| b |bN.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   | b.|bN |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|wB |wB.|wN |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |wN.|wQ | w.| w | w.|

That's some interesting bunching up in the middle there. :P

8. ... d5
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |  .|bB |bQ.|   |bR.|bK |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.|   |  .|   |bN.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   | b.|bN |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.| b |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   |  .|wB |wB.|wN |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.| w |wN.|wQ | w.| w | w.|

8. c3
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |  .|bB |bQ.|   |bR.|bK |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.|   |  .|   |bN.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   | b.|bN |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.| b |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .| w |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   | w.|wB |wB.|wN |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.|   |wN.|wQ | w.| w | w.|

Can you please give me some advice?

8. Pxe4
	  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
	8 |bR |  .|bB |bQ.|   |bR.|bK |  .|
	  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
	7 | b.|   |  .|   |bN.| b | b.| b |
	  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
	6 |   | b.|bN |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
	  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
	5 |  .|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
	  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
	4 |   |  .|   |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
	  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
	3 |  .|   | w.|wB |wB.|wN |  .|   |
	  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
	2 | w | w.|   |wN.|wQ | w.| w | w.|

9. Bxe4
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |  .|bB |bQ.|   |bR.|bK |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 | b.|   |  .|   |bN.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   | b.|bN |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |  .|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .|wB |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   | w.|   |wB.|wN |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.|   |wN.|wQ | w.| w | w.|

Ugh. I kinda want to take e3, but I'm really not sure what black is going to do at this point. I'm not seeing much.

That bishop/queen wall is quite intimidating.

=]['

I have some ideas. 1) a5, which sets up Ba6 that puts pressure on White's queen. 2) Nd5, which pressures White's bishop on e3, and can fork White's queen and other bishop the next turn, and 3) Bb7, which puts Black's other bishop on the main diagonal, increasing strategic value and setting up a potential discovered attack.

:32628852 Thanks for the idea of this move.
    9. ... a5
      +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    8 |bR |  .|bB |bQ.|   |bR.|bK |  .|
      +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    7 |  .|   |  .|   |bN.| b | b.| b |
      +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    6 |   | b.|bN |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
      +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    5 | b.|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
      +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    4 |   |  .|   |  .|wB |  .|   |  .|
      +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    3 |  .|   | w.|   |wB.|wN |  .|   |

hm, nice

and hey there

@EᴀsᴛᴇʀʟʏIʀᴋ Hi.

hello

hello

hi

ello

I'm thinking 10. Ne5

@PhiNotPi That seems to heavily disadvantage White. Not only would White's knight be unprotected, the specter of Black threatening White's queen with their bishop still looms.

I think a better move is 10. c4. Blocks that line of attack and White's knight and queen both protect it.

@El'endiaStarman I was seeing how black's knight is pinned to his rook, and how Ne5 would put more pressure on it.

@PhiNotPi Oooh, yes, I see.

As open as the right side is, white could do well by getting its queen there. The knight move would help that.

Moving white's c pawn up one square would prevent black's bishop from taking advantage of that diagonal, it would be backed up by the other white knight.

oh, lol, that's like exactly what you just said

You could still do that once threatened though.

I think 10. Ne5 could be bad if black does 10... Nxe5, 11. Bxa8 Nd3+

We could castle to move our rook in line with black's queen.

Would it be that bad? Sure the check would have queen backing, but there's a bishop and queen covering d3. Meanwhile, no more rook.

The bishop wouldn't be covering it if we capture the rook.

Oooh right :/

Well, I'm on mobile, and there's no way I'm fighting the copy-paste nightmare this would be. So somebody else is going to have to make a move ;)

I'm feeling like queenside castling is the best option.

Or I could just move the rook and keep the kind where he is.

Anyone have any opinions before I castle?

10. O-O-O
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 |bR |  .|bB |bQ.|   |bR.|bK |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 |  .|   |  .|   |bN.| b | b.| b |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 |   | b.|bN |  .| b |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 | b.|   |bB.|   |  .|   |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 |   |  .|   |  .|wB |  .|   |  .|
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |  .|   | w.|   |wB.|wN |  .|   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
2 | w | w.|   |wN.|wQ | w.| w | w.|