I would play immediately Bg3 and if Nxf3+ I would play Kg2 and this seems to solve the problem...There does not seem to be a way not to lose the f3 pawn and keeping the bishop..... with this scheme we will see be one pawn down but with counterplay.......
The Process of Decision Making in Chess Volume 2: Practice positions and solutions. Position 9.9.1-2
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May 9, 2018
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Position 9.9.1
Requirements of the position
1. Immediate threat of material loss via Nd4, Bxf3, Qf6 - winning a pawn - we need to prevent this
2. Space - Black currently controls the e5 square, white's bishop on Bf4 is poorly placed, as it controls no squares on blacks side of the baord.
3. Development - Both sides have equal development at 4 pieces each, but black's bishops are better placed and have better scope over the board
4. Pawn structure - white has superior pawn structure, with one weak square on the black kingside
5. Material is equal
Candidate moves
1. Be3 - with an intent to play Ne5 (making Qf6 undesirable) and c3 (controlling d4)
a. Immediate threat - immediately contests and indirectly controls d4 square - if black lands Nd4, BxN gives up the bishop pair but removes the threat of losing the pawn.
b. Improves white's dark squared bishop and allows it to contest 2 squares - improving space advantage
c. solves the problem of white dark square bishop being useless, if black plays Bxe3, open f file gives rook ability to defend f3, and allows white to "gatekeep" the f file with the rook
d. if black trades with Bxe3, fxe - then white's pawn structure remains superior, otherwise no substantial change in pawn structure
e. material even
2. Ne5 - contesting f6 square for black queen - overcome by Nf6 and a trade, black can then continue with it's plan
3. Bg3 - black can continue unimpeded with bringing Nd4. White can defend by bringing Kg2, but a pawn storm via the h file will make it very difficult for white to defend his king (Bishop can be pinned by Qg5 at any point)
Solve the challenge below:
This was another typical example of how creating a potential weakness in the form of doubled pawns can be leveraged into further initiative and improvements with tempos, thus making the doubled pawns in this specific case a real weakness. Eventually, it all comes down to practical use. Just having doubled pawns is not in itself a weakness; It becomes a weakness only if there is a practical way to take advantage of the pawn formation.