fabianocaruana vs abhidabhi

White pushed the g‑pawn from g4 to g5. The move attacks the black pawn on f6, adds pressure on the g7 pawn and forces Black to address the knight on f5. After 20.g5 the board still shows White threats on b4, c4, e5, f6 and g7, while Black threatens to capture on d3 and the white knight on f5. No white piece is left undefended except the f3‑knight and h3‑pawn, and the move does not create any new weaknesses.

The engine rates 20.g5 as the optimal continuation because it maximises the initiative. By attacking f6, White forces Black to either defend the pawn or give up the bishop on e6. The natural reply 20...Bxf5 removes the knight, but after 21.gxf6 White gains a passed pawn on f6, opens the g‑file for the rook on g1 and threatens the g7‑pawn, giving White a decisive attack. Any quieter move (e.g., 20.Qg5 or 20.Rdg2) would allow Black to consolidate with ...f6‑f5 or ...d3, letting the black queen and rooks coordinate. Thus g5 creates concrete threats that Black cannot meet without conceding material or exposing the king.

Create Immediate Threats: When you have active pieces, push a pawn that generates direct threats on the opponent's king side. The resulting pressure can force the opponent to give up material or create weaknesses, turning a positional edge into a winning attack.