Annotated chess game

Conventionally, as one of the two most common opening moves...

Watch out, Black! Don't gambit on the QGA.

At the level most of us play at, this is actually quite good. It's at the really top levels that its strategic limitations become apparent. Joe (jkarp), your friend Jack Stockel notwithstanding, I recommend you try this opening. In my view it's a good one for developing players. Play through a few of Black's wins to see what he's looking to achieve (often a K-side attack), then some losses to see the sort of thing to avoid. Try in particular the Stonewall Defence (...f5, ...e6, ...d5, ...c6), particularly against players of about your rating or a little higher. It's a good strategic attack with tactical features.

There's something similar to the name of the opening. The Danish: 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3.

Time was White used to play 2.c4, or maybe bring out a knight. Very dangerous for Black was the hair-raising 2.e4!? - the Staunton Gambit (something to consider playing if ever you're facing the Dutch defence). These days, this lead in to deploying the light square bishop to the flank is the most popular, and most difficult at the moment for Black to get much traction against.

@jkarp: the main line is the most played variation in a particular opening.

I don't play 1.d4 very much but i think 2.Bg5!? is very annoying for black.

Now you can see why White plays his g-pawn so soon...  

Black has played what I think is still called the Leningrad Dutch Defence. Can't say it floats my boat, but I have played it (or something like it) a couple of times on GK.

It's certainly the most logical-seeming move. But sometimes it is better to insert a different move by way of 'intermezzo' or 'zwischenzug' between a given move and its 'logical' followup.

No: pawns are simply exchanged.

There's two attackers and two defenders. This exchange is in White's favor.

White's point is that Black's e-pawn is going to be hard to advance past e6 on account of White's control over e5 - not complete, I grant, but after, say 7....d5 8.Bg2 e5?! 9.dxe5 ... Black finds his d-pawn under attack: 9...Bxe5 10.Qxd5 Qxd5 11.Bxd5, say. Black can vary, but White retains the ascendancy. Because that pawn is being kept back by the White d-pawn, it can't get protection from his mates, and has to rely on pieces for its defence. White will in particular be able to pile the rooks up against it. Having said all that, though, there may be strategic or tactical compensations for Black for this strategic weakness on the e-file.

I think I'd prefer 8...Nc6 or 8...0-0, myself.

Can't say I follow the reasoning behind 9.Ne2 either. Is the purpose to leave the f-pawn free? Or maybe the Knight is headed for f4. The move played not only protects d4, but also begins to establish greater control over the e5-square.

...or has the alternate knight move (to e2) been preferred on account on this pin? But think about this. What if White were now to play 10.h3. 10...Bh5 is unplayable (11.g4 traps the bishop), and retreat seems to lose a tempo (unless Black fully intended to provoke this advance as slightly weakening); the only other reasonable option is to exchange (10...Bxf3 11.Bxf3). Who gains from this exchange? If Black does, then we have our justification for 9.Ne2. Otherwise, we might have to find fault with this bishop move.

Here's a point where tactical insight becomes important. Having played this rook move, what if Black were to play 11...Bxd4 at this point. It seems to win a pawn: 12.Qxd4 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Rxf3, though White has some attack after 14.Bh6 Rf7 15.c4, say. But White can do much better, and make Black regret his greed. Check this out 11...Bxd4?? 12.Qxd4 Bxf3 13.Bh6 Rf7 (White was threatening 14.Qg7 checkmate) 14.Bxf3 ... White wins a bishop for a pawn.

@jkarp: this was an over-the-board game, so there were no appointments or something like that.

I was looking at these lines Ion mentions during the game. I did look at 11...Bxd4?? 12.Qxd4 Bxf3 13.Bh6 Rf7 14.Bxf3. There is also an improvement for Black, by playing the moves on another order. 11.... Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Bxd4 13. Qxd4 Rxf3. Now it seemed to me that 14.Bh6 Rf7 15.c4 didn't lead to much for white, so I was thinking that better would be 14. Bg5. For a moment I glanced at the variation Rf7 15. Rxe7? with the idea that after Rxe7 white has 16. Re1 (with the idea that black can't move the rook as it is pinned), but of course black as Re7 x Re1 CHECK winning easily, so I was thinking I would continue with say 15. Re2 followed by Ra-e1 piling up on e7. I think white has compensation for the pawn, but no more. This may be better for black to play this, rather than the game continuation.