user1105: I played a blitz game against a 1900 player which I won. I'm interested in this position, with me as Black to move.
The computer recommended to take the bishop, but I didn't want to take it immediately, because I don't want to give their rook an open file. I thought if they want to take my rook, they better do it with the g pawn.
[FEN "r2q2k1/2p2ppp/2p2n2/p7/P2pr3/1BB2P2/1PP3PP/3Q1RK1 b - - 0 1"]

I played Rh4 to keep an eye on the pawn and if they were willing to kick it by playing g3, they'll end up with a weakened position. They replied with g3 as expected. And here I could take the bishop or the h pawn then the bishop, which is what I did.
Had I followed what the computer said, I would have been up 2.5 or 3 points in computer evaluation. What I did got me half a point to 0.8, which is strange, hence I'm asking this question. The computer didn't even bother moving the rook to the h-file.
In the position, what would be the best approach?

user12071: Well, actually it's hard to spot this line without using computer assistance, so your choice in blitz game seems reasonable (except your opponent should have played Bxa5 which gives you a material advantage of pure exchange only).
[FEN "r2q2k1/2p2ppp/2p2n2/p7/P2pr3/1BB2P2/1PPQ2PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1"]

1... dxc3 2. Qxd8+ Rxd8 3. fxe4 cxb2 4. e5 Nd5 5. Rb1 Nc3 6. Rxb2 Rd1+! 7. Kf2 Rd4

Now Black threat with Nd1+, so they win an extra tempo to play Kf8 protecting against White's attack on 8th horizontal.
Thus Black keep their main idea to play Rb4 and c5-c4 winning material. The only way for White to save bishop is to play Ba2 and Bb1 which puts White's pieces into absolute zugzwang. So this ending is a total win for Black.

user-1: N.B. This answer is without the aid of a computer. Here I compare 1...Rh4 to 1...dxc3
1...Rh4
The material difference in the given position is exchange + pawn vs. minor piece. This is a difference of 3 pawns. After 1...Rh4, white can win a pawn with 2. Bxa5. On paper this is now a difference of 2 pawns, but computers tend to overvalue pawn structures, so is probably penalizing black for the doubled, isolated c-pawns.
1...dxc3
I think that Black is better after this sequence, because:

Black will soon be up 2 pawns
Black has better placed pieces
Black has the long term strategy of making the light square bishop a spectator by placing most of the pawns on dark squares


[FEN "r2q2k1/2p2ppp/2p2n2/p7/P2pr3/1BB2P2/1PPQ2PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1"]

1... dxc3 2. Qxd8+ Rxd8 3. fxe4 cxb2 4. e5 Nd5 5. Rb1 Nc3 6. Rxb2 Re8


1105: <p>I played a blitz game against a 1900 player which I won. I'm interested in this position, with me as Black to move.</p>
<p>The computer recommended to take the bishop, but I didn't want to take it immediately, because I don't want to give their rook an open file. I thought if they want to take my rook, they better do it with the g pawn.</p>
<pre><code>[FEN &quot;r2q2k1/2p2ppp/2p2n2/p7/P2pr3/1BB2P2/1PP3PP/3Q1RK1 b - - 0 1&quot;]
</code></pre>
<p>I played Rh4 to keep an eye on the pawn and if they were willing to kick it by playing g3, they'll end up with a weakened position. They replied with g3 as expected. And here I could take the bishop or the h pawn then the bishop, which is what I did.</p>
<p>Had I followed what the computer said, I would have been up 2.5 or 3 points in computer evaluation. What I did got me half a point to 0.8, which is strange, hence I'm asking this question. The computer didn't even bother moving the rook to the h-file.</p>
<p>In the position, what would be the best approach?</p>
 12071: <p>Well, actually it's hard to spot this line without using computer assistance, so your choice in blitz game seems reasonable (except your opponent should have played Bxa5 which gives you a material advantage of pure exchange only).</p>

<pre><code>[FEN "r2q2k1/2p2ppp/2p2n2/p7/P2pr3/1BB2P2/1PPQ2PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1"]

1... dxc3 2. Qxd8+ Rxd8 3. fxe4 cxb2 4. e5 Nd5 5. Rb1 Nc3 6. Rxb2 Rd1+! 7. Kf2 Rd4
</code></pre>

<p>Now Black threat with Nd1+, so they win an extra tempo to play Kf8 protecting against White's attack on 8th horizontal.</p>

<p>Thus Black keep their main idea to play Rb4 and c5-c4 winning material. The only way for White to save bishop is to play Ba2 and Bb1 which puts White's pieces into absolute zugzwang. So this ending is a total win for Black.</p>
 -1: <p><strong>N.B. This answer is without the aid of a computer.</strong> Here I compare 1...Rh4 to 1...dxc3</p>

<h2>1...Rh4</h2>

<p>The material difference in the given position is exchange + pawn vs. minor piece. This is a difference of 3 pawns. After 1...Rh4, white can win a pawn with 2. Bxa5. On paper this is now a difference of 2 pawns, but computers tend to overvalue pawn structures, so is probably penalizing black for the doubled, isolated c-pawns.</p>

<h2>1...dxc3</h2>

<p>I think that Black is better after this sequence, because:</p>

<ul>
<li>Black will soon be up 2 pawns</li>
<li>Black has better placed pieces</li>
<li>Black has the long term strategy of making the light square bishop a spectator by placing most of the pawns on dark squares</li>
</ul>

<hr>

<pre><code>[FEN "r2q2k1/2p2ppp/2p2n2/p7/P2pr3/1BB2P2/1PPQ2PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1"]

1... dxc3 2. Qxd8+ Rxd8 3. fxe4 cxb2 4. e5 Nd5 5. Rb1 Nc3 6. Rxb2 Re8
</code></pre>
