user13147: 1kb4r/4r3/p1p3p1/Pp1p1p1p/1P1P3P/5PP1/2P2K2/1NR2R2 w - - 0 1

1. Nd2 Rhe8 (1... f4!) (1. f4!)

Silman suggests 1. Nd2, with a black response of Rhe8. Wouldn't black just respond with 1...f4! instead? This gives black counter-play on the kingside, opens an f-file for him, and activates his bishop (with an eventual ...Bf5!)
White should have just played 1. f4! What prevented such a move from being considered?

user12540: I believe the f4! move for White is definitely a good idea instead of Nd2 . After f4 from White it is like catching 2 birds with one arrow . 

f4 from White deprives the Black Light Squared Bishop & tangles it into his own pawn chain and creates a Bad Bishop .
f4 frees the f3 squares for the Knight . The Knight hops to d2-f3-e5 . From e5 the g6 & c6 becomes juicy targets and makes the Knight a supreme one . The Knight can change the course and even go to c5 . There are many ways where the Knight will dominate and the Bishop will be locked in its pawn chain . 

Even Black has a mild command of the open e-file White can place his any Rook on the e-file and exchange them . Creating a principle of two Weakness and positional strategy White should win the game in the end .
I did not feed this position into any computer but there seems to be one catch in the above explanation . With the Rooks being exchanged on e-file and f4 from White locks up everything . The pawn formation creates a wall where neither King will be allowed to enter in opponent's territory . Black Bishop can stay in e8 and protect the pawns c6 & g6 and will control the squares of the Knight and Black King can do the remaining tasks of flanking the white King .So summary is it is better to delay f4 from White and possibly ignore it until you have a sure advantage .

user-1: Why 1. Nd2?
Silman is suggesting to improve the worst placed piece with Nd2-b3-c5. This makes sense because:

White will have a good knight vs. bad bishop
The position is closed so White has the time to improve the worst piece

Why not 1. f4?
Black's ...f4 and ...Bf5 plan isn't that strong, because:

When black's bishop gets to f5, it doesn't threaten anything
White doesn't have to open files with gxf4. White should continue with the Nd2-b3-c5 plan as before

Having said this, 1. f4 isn't a bad move, i.e. it deprives the bishop of another target.

user4362: 1.f4 kills the game. White currently has the advantage of a good knight against a bad bishop. But black will double on the e-file and that will lead to an exchange of rooks. In the resulting endgame the better minor piece won't be enough to put pressure on black because with f4 you have closed the way for your king into the enemy position. 
If you want to play for the win you need to keep a way open for the white king to penetrate. That also means that after 1.Nd2 f4 you probably shouldn't take on f4. After 2.gf Bf5 there is again no way into the black position. 

13147: <pre><code>1kb4r/4r3/p1p3p1/Pp1p1p1p/1P1P3P/5PP1/2P2K2/1NR2R2 w - - 0 1

1. Nd2 Rhe8 (1... f4!) (1. f4!)
</code></pre>

<p>Silman suggests 1. Nd2, with a black response of Rhe8. Wouldn't black just respond with 1...f4! instead? This gives black counter-play on the kingside, opens an f-file for him, and activates his bishop (with an eventual ...Bf5!)</p>

<p>White should have just played 1. f4! What prevented such a move from being considered?</p>
 12540: <p>I believe the f4! move for White is definitely a good idea instead of Nd2 . After f4 from White it is like catching 2 birds with one arrow . </p>

<ul>
<li>f4 from White deprives the Black Light Squared Bishop &amp; tangles it into his own pawn chain and creates a Bad Bishop .</li>
<li>f4 frees the f3 squares for the Knight . The Knight hops to d2-f3-e5 . From e5 the g6 &amp; c6 becomes juicy targets and makes the Knight a supreme one . The Knight can change the course and even go to c5 . There are many ways where the Knight will dominate and the Bishop will be locked in its pawn chain . </li>
</ul>

<p>Even Black has a mild command of the open e-file White can place his any Rook on the e-file and exchange them . Creating a principle of two Weakness and positional strategy White should win the game in the end .</p>

<p>I did not feed this position into any computer but there seems to be one catch in the above explanation . With the Rooks being exchanged on e-file and f4 from White locks up everything . The pawn formation creates a wall where neither King will be allowed to enter in opponent's territory . Black Bishop can stay in e8 and protect the pawns c6 &amp; g6 and will control the squares of the Knight and Black King can do the remaining tasks of flanking the white King .So summary is it is better to delay f4 from White and possibly ignore it until you have a sure advantage .</p>
 -1: <h2>Why 1. Nd2?</h2>

<p>Silman is suggesting to improve the worst placed piece with Nd2-b3-c5. This makes sense because:</p>

<ol>
<li>White will have a good knight vs. bad bishop</li>
<li>The position is closed so White has the time to improve the worst piece</li>
</ol>

<h2>Why not 1. f4?</h2>

<p>Black's ...f4 and ...Bf5 plan isn't that strong, because:</p>

<ol>
<li>When black's bishop gets to f5, it doesn't threaten anything</li>
<li>White doesn't have to open files with gxf4. White should continue with the Nd2-b3-c5 plan as before</li>
</ol>

<p>Having said this, 1. f4 isn't a bad move, i.e. it deprives the bishop of another target.</p>
 4362: <p>1.f4 kills the game. White currently has the advantage of a good knight against a bad bishop. But black will double on the e-file and that will lead to an exchange of rooks. In the resulting endgame the better minor piece won't be enough to put pressure on black because with f4 you have closed the way for your king into the enemy position. </p>

<p>If you want to play for the win you need to keep a way open for the white king to penetrate. That also means that after 1.Nd2 f4 you probably shouldn't take on f4. After 2.gf Bf5 there is again no way into the black position. </p>
