Annotated chess game

I myself switched early in my career to d4 for the same reason. What convinced my to commit was the fact that at the time World Champion Antaloy Karpov was using the Queens Game to great effect.

I really hate the knights game because it is dull and boring. I prefer to focus on the center with 3. d4 scotish game

good job! In order to get out of the openning with something white does have to use his advantage of the first move. If it is up to you why allow black to equalize so early?

This as strange as it seems is quite good. It highlight the fact that white's e pawn is over extended and is in need of defending. If white continues with lets say 7. Bxc6 then white gives up the bishop pair to take pressure off of e5 for the time being. Not only that after the exchange on c6 black gets strong control of the light squares in the centre. So Bxc6 is not worth for white but what else does he have?

6...Ne4!? may be worth a try. After 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. 0-0 Bc5 10. f3!? Ng5 11. Be3 and black is at least OK in this line.

Wise decision as for whites other options: A) 7. Bg5? Be7 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. 0-0 0-0 is slightly better for black.   7. Nxd4?? Nxd4 8. Qxd4 a6 9. Ba5 b5 10. Bb3 Nb6 is clearly better for black. So 0-0 is white's best move.

I know the feeling that is why Gameknot has provided the note feature in the upper right of the game board window. It is so you can leave yourself notes. But in regard to your game move white does at sometime give up the bishop to get back the pawn so know is as good as time as any. However, if I were playing this game I would like you hold onto the bishop pair for as long as I can. Therefore, I like look of 9. Nbd2 to support e5 after 9. ...a6 10. Bxc6(only after asked to clarify) bxc6 11. Nxd4 Nb8 12. Ndf3 and e5 is well defended

Why not 8. Bxc6? I think this move is probably the best move. After 8...bxc6 the temporary pawn sacrifice 9. Nxd4! is very strong, and most players respond 9...Nb8. After 10. Nc3 c5 11. Ndb5 c6 12. Nd6+! and White has a big advantage.

I liked the fact that all my pieces were developed with the bishop move and expected to free that bishop with c5,,d5 with tempo.

I understand the idea behind Bb7 and it is a vaild one. However, after the freeing c5 the knight goes to f6 where it can support d5-d4 and attack e5. That is why you will see Nb8 played more than Bb7.

I didn't believe you brought enough power to the fight and was OK with loss of pawn for the lack of development on white queen side.

Larn is right here though the danger that white presents has potently. Unfortunately, white does not have enough tempo to execute his plan.

I thought it was forced till I saw the position from whites perspective on the diagram above. seems Bf6 was possible, but I didn't see it in the game.

Yes 12. ...Bf6 is possible because 13. exf6?? Rxe8++ wins

I am not sure if has been noticed but the fact that white dominates on the light squares on the king side is a direct result of Bb7.

At this point, this was the first move I thought was desperation. I agree that developing the knight was a better move, just thought you were continuing to try to justify the premature attack without any queenside development. I didn't see any way you could save the pawn on d7. I saw the pin didn't fear it.

after 17. Qh3 white has a chance to win the black king for a rook here is how 17. ...Kg8 18. Bh6 Rf8 19. Qb3(defending d7) Rb8 20. Qe3 and now if 20. ...Bf8? 21. Qxa7 Bxh6 22. Re8+ Qxe8 23. dxe8+

I considered 18..Rb7 but couldn't resist the white kings vulnerability. Thought white was seeing Re8,Qxd7 Rxa8 Bxa8 Qb8 if I move the Bishop to attack, but I liked that white'sattack involved no queenside pieces

18. Bh6+ leads to the same lines I mentioned above except instead of 20. ...Bf8 black can try to hold on with 20. ...Rf7 21. Qxa7 Ba8 22. Nc3 Rb7 23. Qa4 and black will lose material no matter what he plays. The key for white he is that he can not allow black to capture on d7 as the pawn is essentailly completely tying black down to the back rank.

after 18. Qb3 black should have played 18. ...Rb8 19. Qe3 Rf7 20.Nd2 Qxd7! 21. Nf3 d4! is more than likely a draw. Although the edge has to be given to white. still is far better than the game line. Also a comment on 19. Qc3+?? is very bad because 19. ...d4 saves the day. Instead 19. Be3 Bb6 20. Qc3+ Kf7 21. Nd2 Qxd7 22. Nb3 Qd6 23. Rad1 is far better than the game line for white.

Qxb7 surprised me, took all white 's initiative away. I knew that it was the last offensive move for white for the rest of the game.

As I said early the key to white's win was to hold onto d7.

even if you had played 17. Nd2 as you suggested as an improvement over 17. Qh3 17. ...Qxd7 draws because black's back rank is not tied down. Matter of fact as a I have shown over and over again the combination of 17. Qh3 and 18. Bh6 wins for white hands down.

I recall rejecting Kg8 as 24.Bd2 covers the mate threat and 23..Rf7 gains a tempo to get black Bishop uncovered. I also didn't look deep enough to see that after 24.Bd2 Qe2 black has limited number of checks and let the win slip away.(:

Indeed he has 23. ...Kg8 24. Bd2 Qe2!! wins for black.