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Can someone tell me why 10. exf5 is the best move?

Here's my game. I'm playing white. I discovered that the best move on move 10 is exf5. I did not make this move because I thought by exchanging my central pawn for a flank pawn would weaken my control of the center. Can you tell me why 10. exf5 is the best move? Thanks

https://lichess.org/u62FHVSL#18

Here's my game. I'm playing white. I discovered that the best move on move 10 is exf5. I did not make this move because I thought by exchanging my central pawn for a flank pawn would weaken my control of the center. Can you tell me why 10. exf5 is the best move? Thanks https://lichess.org/u62FHVSL#18

In the 30+0 game, https[colon]//lichess[period]org/u62FHVSL , against BOT Boosted_Maia_1900 (~3 days ago), after 1 c4 Nf6 2 g3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 Nc3 O-O 5 e4 d6 6 Nge2 e5 7 O-O Nc6 8 h3 Nh5 9 d3 f5, it does not seem that

10 f4 exf4 11 gxf4 fxe4 12 dxe4 Qh4 13 Be3 Bxh3 14 Bf2 Qg4 15 Ng3 Qxd1 16 Raxd1 Nxf4 17 Bxh3 Nxh3+ 18 Kg2 Nxf2 19 Rxf2 Rxf2+ 20 Kxf2 Rf8+ 21 Kg2 Bxc3 22 bxc3 Ne5 was a good outcome for you, so some sort of improvement seems like it would have been desirable.

Instead of 14 Bf2, you might have tried 14 Qd5+, but, as the machine points out, BOT Boosted_Maia_1900 might have reacted by going for 14...Kh8 15 Qg5 Qxg5 16 fxg5 Bg4 and it seems that things would still have been pretty grim.

Instead of 13 Be3, you might have tried 13 f5, but, as the machine points out, BOT Boosted_Maia_1900 might have reacted by going for 13...gxf5 with you apparently lacking anything good to do about the lost pawn.

Instead of 11 gxf4, you might have tried 11 Bxf4, but BOT Boosted_Maia_1900 might have reacted by going for 11...fxe4 12 dxe4 Be6 13 b3 g5 14 Bd2 g4 15 Rxf8+ Qxf8 16 Qf1 Nd4 17 Nf4 Nxf4 18 gxf4 gxh3.

Instead of 10 f4, you might have gone for 10 exf5 gxf5 11 d4 and, it seems that you would have been doing better than the results of any of the above lines.

In the 30+0 game, https[colon]//lichess[period]org/u62FHVSL , against BOT Boosted_Maia_1900 (~3 days ago), after 1 c4 Nf6 2 g3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 Nc3 O-O 5 e4 d6 6 Nge2 e5 7 O-O Nc6 8 h3 Nh5 9 d3 f5, it does not seem that 10 f4 exf4 11 gxf4 fxe4 12 dxe4 Qh4 13 Be3 Bxh3 14 Bf2 Qg4 15 Ng3 Qxd1 16 Raxd1 Nxf4 17 Bxh3 Nxh3+ 18 Kg2 Nxf2 19 Rxf2 Rxf2+ 20 Kxf2 Rf8+ 21 Kg2 Bxc3 22 bxc3 Ne5 was a good outcome for you, so some sort of improvement seems like it would have been desirable. Instead of 14 Bf2, you might have tried 14 Qd5+, but, as the machine points out, BOT Boosted_Maia_1900 might have reacted by going for 14...Kh8 15 Qg5 Qxg5 16 fxg5 Bg4 and it seems that things would still have been pretty grim. Instead of 13 Be3, you might have tried 13 f5, but, as the machine points out, BOT Boosted_Maia_1900 might have reacted by going for 13...gxf5 with you apparently lacking anything good to do about the lost pawn. Instead of 11 gxf4, you might have tried 11 Bxf4, but BOT Boosted_Maia_1900 might have reacted by going for 11...fxe4 12 dxe4 Be6 13 b3 g5 14 Bd2 g4 15 Rxf8+ Qxf8 16 Qf1 Nd4 17 Nf4 Nxf4 18 gxf4 gxh3. Instead of 10 f4, you might have gone for 10 exf5 gxf5 11 d4 and, it seems that you would have been doing better than the results of any of the above lines.

Well, we now know what chatgpt thinks...

Perhaps a more human perspective:

Black threatens f4, which promises him a good attack. I suspect that you realized this, and that you played f4 to stop it. The problem is that f4 allows black to blast the center open, giving him full control of the dark-squared long diagonal and the c8-h3 diagonal. His pieces are ready to pounce, and again, you are the victim of an attack.

The only other way to stop f4, is exf5, so if that is playable, it is a necessity (and if it were not playable, your position would already be bad). Turns out it is playable because black cannot capture on f4 with the B (because the g4 fork wins a piece). After having played exf5 gxf5, white can even continue with your idea of f4 if he wants to (white has other options as well), because now after your f4, if black takes it and you take back (with the N), black will be left with a pawn on f4, which blocks his light squared bishop, and nerfs his attack.

Your logic and concern about the center are valid, but here, the danger of f4 is an emergency, and its neutralization is the top priority.

Well, we now know what chatgpt thinks... Perhaps a more human perspective: Black threatens f4, which promises him a good attack. I suspect that you realized this, and that you played f4 to stop it. The problem is that f4 allows black to blast the center open, giving him full control of the dark-squared long diagonal and the c8-h3 diagonal. His pieces are ready to pounce, and again, you are the victim of an attack. The only other way to stop f4, is exf5, so if that is playable, it is a necessity (and if it were not playable, your position would already be bad). Turns out it is playable because black cannot capture on f4 with the B (because the g4 fork wins a piece). After having played exf5 gxf5, white can even continue with your idea of f4 if he wants to (white has other options as well), because now after your f4, if black takes it and you take back (with the N), black will be left with a pawn on f4, which blocks his light squared bishop, and nerfs his attack. Your logic and concern about the center are valid, but here, the danger of f4 is an emergency, and its neutralization is the top priority.