Annotated chess game

this is the first time I am looking at annotated games so I might be incorrect here in the game against geronimo57. Move 8 white could have had checkmate with the knight. Let me know if I am wrong.

You are not wrong lloyd44. It was "on" at move 9, too. Check out the comments at move 9.

I think d5 is better than Nc3 here. For example, 4. d5 exd5 5. exd5 Nb4 (Nb8 and Ne7 are possible as well) 6. c4 and now you can play Nc3 without blocking the c pawn.

d5 is the standard move in most Sicilians where black fails to play ...cxd4

On move eight is there not Nd6# instead of Bd3?

Yes. An amazing mate in 1 oversight.

So we can nail down 7...b6 as a mistake. Better was 7...d6. I made a very similar early oversight in an OTB tournament game once. I won the game, but didn't enjoy it, having spotted the kill a move too late!  

Yes 8.Nd6+# finnishes the game in one swing

At first glance, I was inclined to agree with the annotator here. But Black is right to be chary of that open e-file. 12...Bxg5 13.Nxd6+! [A] Now if 13...Kf8 14.Re8+ Qxe8 15.Nxe8 (Be7 16.d6) or [B] 13...Kd7 14.Nxf7 Qf6 15.Bxg6 hxg6 16.Nxh8 etc. It seems that Black had more than an inkling of what might happen!

(!) See next...

Black might have considered offering Q exchanges 14...Qd7 to reduce the effect of White's superior development. But ... it appears that once again Black smelt a large and hairy rat! After 14...Qd7 this would have happened: 15.Nd6+!! Kd8 (forced, else the Black queen dies) 16.Nf7+! K-any! 17.Qxd7+ Kxd7 18.Bxg6! hxg6 19.Nxh8 gets away with a whole rook! White's 14th was a very good move.

I guess it would be hard to contemplate the alternate pawn recapture (16...fxe5) since it leaves the BK position very draughty. Yet this exposure is not easy to exploit at once, and meanwhile the DSBs come off (17.Bxe7 Nxe7 or 17.Nf5 Bxh4). On the other hand, the move played solidifies Black's position overall at the cost of giving White a well-protected passed pawn. Though easily enough contained for the moment, it will remain a fixed asset in White's game for a long time...

On the contrary, I like it. Your pawn is very menacing there for quite a few moves and it gains a tempo.

I can appreciate Black's reluctance to allow exchanges, but his game is really calling for it. 17...Bd6 was fine, and hope like - well like anything you like - that White will exchange N for B (18.Nxd6 Qxd6). True, the Q is not an ideal blockader, but she'll do until the N or a R can take over.*** As for 19.d6 - well, I agree with neilskye, the move is fine: an exclam at least!

ionadowman is higher rated then me but to me this looks like a move that opens blacks bishop and sends the pawn on a suicide mission. With no other pawn to protect it and in the middle of blacks territory this looks like a weakness that would be difficult to reinforce.

White has a an interesting plan, here. But he had another possibility based on the pin on the f6-pawn: 20.Rxe5!? gxf5 21.Bxf5 and if 21...Bxd6? 22.Re6 (the d1-rook is protected by the Q on a4, so 22...Bxh2+? doesn't help Black). After White's 21st in this line, it's hard to find much for Black, and White's d-pawn is very much alive. *** Was 20.Re5 better than the text move? I don't know. But I do think 20...Bxd6 would have been a sterner test of the latter. For one thing, 21.Re5 in response is too expensive: 20...Bxd6 21.Rxe5?! Bxe5 22.Bxg6+ hxg6 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 leaves Black already with 2R+B for Q+P; White is about to lose another piece, and he's in a rather awkward position to boot. On the other hand, after the better 21.Be4 Black can't exchange bishops at once (21...Bxe4 22.Nxe4) and after 21...Rb8 or ...Ra7 22.Bxb7 Rxb7 23.Ne4 Rd7 24.Qc6 Ke7 25.f4 with what looks like a strong attack.

White must have taken out a heavy insurance policy on that pawn! 22...Bxd6 23.Rf5+ Kg7 (just about forced) 24.Be4 should be enough to keep White on top.

In my opinion the pawn is gone and there is no rush to take it. It would be very difficult to defend it later in.

This queen has performed sterling service on a4, but with the pawn now firmly established on d7, a change of career is indicated.

Could Black have chosen move 26 as the moment to exchange bishops on e4? 26...Bxe4 27.Nxe4 Kg6!? 28.Qc2, say. Here, 28...Kxf5 would be too dangerous (29.Nd6+ Ke6 30.Qf5+ Ke7 31.Re1+! Kf8 - else it's mate next move - 32.Re8+ Rxe8 33.dxe8=R#. Nor will 28...Nxe4 help (29.Qxe4 with a lethal masked battery against the Black king).