Annotated chess game

OK: solid and conservative. A bit tame, but perfectly safe.

I have been criticized for this move. But, I agree with ION. The only thing is the reason for playing this. I reckon that Erika did this to try different openings since she usually plays 1.e4 But, I've also seen her play 1.d4, and in a different annotation, my student mentioned that she wanted to try different openings. I believe that it's because her opponents are used to her Erika's openings. I can understand why, as I did this a lot for the same reason. However, it's not a good idea, Erika because your opponents might have a lot of experience with the other openings. All they need to do is use the database, and there would come the different openings. Grandmaster Susan Polgar said that it's not about what openings are most analyzed by Grandmaster's, but rather, what opening you have the most experience with.

Why do you have to say the name of the piece that moves every time?

This development rather invites Black to advance further with 2...e5. No seriously bad thing for White (3.Nd4, and if 3...c5 or ...Bc5, then 4.Nb3), but it can result in a loss of time whilst Black builds a centre. Even so, White can then set about planning to undermine that centre.

It would, however, have been the best move, if you had played 1.e4, Erika.

asking for Nxe5...

Agreed. Best was 2...Nc6 for the reason that Bonnie mentioned.

Good move - stakes a claim to a fair share of the centre, and forces Black to decide whether to exchange, move the bishop a second time.

Also possible is 4.Nxd4, but I reckon I would played the pawn recapture myself. Black is forced to lose time with his bishop, and White has gained space in the centre.

I totally agree with ION and not just being that the capture was possible. But, that this is also what I would've played.

Perhaps Black was testing, but I consider this a waste of time...

As do I because of your next move.

... for precisely this reason. This move forces the Black Bishop to move again, but also helps bolster White's centre. The White Queen's Knight can quite happily develop via d2.

Much better would have been 5...Be7, or 5...Ba5. On d6, the bishop gets in the way of the d-pawn, which Black needs to advance in order to offer any real challenge in the centre.

Of the moves that ION just mentioned, I give 5...Be7 as best because after 5...Ba5, white could attack again with 6...b5 which loses tempo. The problem here is the d pawn since it's in the center.

A nice, snug spot for the bishop. Perhaps Bc4 would have been a more active posting, but this move is fine.

I would've played 6.Bc4 for the reason that ION mentioned, but I like the move played just as well.

nothing wrong with Kd2, and threaten Re1: after Bf4+, Kc2...

With that being said, I can see why he did this, but it's not normal. The reason being is that he brought his Q out before developing pieces. This is what makes Re1 a real threat. And, you don't even need Bf4ch to do it. In fact, this can be done shortly after Be2. Although it leaves the LSB pinned, the threat is there since it would allow to castle at once. And, once castling, black must move his Q to prevent it from getting pinned which would win the Queen for Rook.

Not so good. If I wanted to move the King at all in this position, I would have tried 7.Kd2, with the threat of 8.Re1 for Black to worry about. But really, I would have played 7.Be3 instead, developing a piece and blocking the check. There was no real danger of Black's being in a position to exploit the pin (BQ->WB->WK), and White could then follow by castling on move 8 (8.0-0).

I agree with ION. The only small difference, and Be3 works, as well. But, I would've played 7.Be2 as you're a step closer to castling. As archduke_piccolo explained, castling is what makes Re1 a real threat.

But this is unnecessary time wasting. The King is no safer on g1 than f1, where it is quite safe. But I could have understood 8.g3, here, with the view to 9.Kg2 and 10.Re1. Also playable would have been 8.Bg5, and if 8...h6, 9.Bh5 (...g5 10.Bg3, forcing the exchange of dark-square bishops (e.g.: 10...Bxg3 11.hxg3).

ION is correct, but the other thing to note is that you should never relax with any player, Erika. That is, even if you're winning as that can throw away your advantage. As Jack Stockel once emphasized in one of his annotations, "When you think that you have won or are winning, be very careful, and do not underestimate your opponent. Otherwise, you might start making mistakes and losing the game."

This light horse attack isn't going anywhere. Black should start moving his other pieces, or castle.

He is trying to threaten mate, but it won't work with your Nf3, so ION is correct.

Good. Drives away the knight - probably back to f6 (if instead 9...Nh6, I would be very tempted to play 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Nbd2 followed by 12.Qc2, and 13.Re1 (depending on how Black played).

What a silly sausage, leaving a knight lying around where anyone could pick it up and make off with it...

Agreed. Ok, how should white proceed, Erika?

Were it not for the availability of 10.hxg5, winning the knight for nothing, this bishop development would be quite good. Black could play 10...Nf6 or maybe ...f6, here, and save his piece.

Slight correction since the capture would be on g4. But, ION is correct. 10.hxg4 was what you call, the caper.

What Black was tghinking about with this move is impossible to fathom. Whatever it was, it had nothing to do with what is happening on the board. Apart from leaving the Queen 'en prise' as well as the other knight, what was this knight going to achieve from a5?

fascinating...

I don't agree about this being fascinating since black could have protected his Ng4. But, there was a much bigger threat being his Queen. So, much better was to retreat. I would've played 10...Qf8 where it can't be threatened again.