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This was a Walking the Walk game with Easy19 (Freddy). In keeping with W the W tradition, I played white and this is my first game with this particular mentor. On a side note, this was my 400th loss as well; really, not just a loss, a severe slaughtering as you no doubt noticed by the blood stains and scattered feathers by the threshold of this particular venue... |
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1. e4 g5
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Freddy has told me that he likes to take underrated opponents out of book early and he does so here with the Reversed Grob. If you go to the games database, you'll notice that there are only 4 listed responses for this position. As for the position itself, it doesn't do much for center control, but does allow the opportunity to play a hyper-modern game; controlling the center from the wings. |
 
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2. d4
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So I look to take more real estate in the center of the board. |
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2... Bg7 3. e5
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Looking to claim as much room in the middle as possible ASAP. |
2 comments
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3... h6 4. Bc4
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Post Game Computer Analysis (PGA) gave me a slight advantage after this move, but in hindsight I see it as a mistake and a loss in tempo. I should have used this opportunity to develop another piece. Granted, I had my eye on the potential Ne2, so I wanted to develop the bishop to avoid barricading it, but Ne2 wasn't necessary and in the end I didn't play it anyway. The Bishop could have been developed later (and to potentially a better square). |
1 comment
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4... c5 5. Be3
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Defending the d-pawn with a bishop is not my cup of tea, but judging by this developing trend it seems that this bishop might not be of any immediate use. I can't remember the last time I played a game where I developed both Bishops before either Knight, Freddy forced this in my mind because I saw 5. Nf3 g4 6. Nd2 cxd4. Either way, a Knight couldn't defend the challenged piece without losing the e5 pawn. The only other option was 5. c3. |
1 comment
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5... cxd4 6. Bxd4
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The Bishop is looking a bit more lively. |
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6... e6 7. Nf3
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Finally developing a Knight... |
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7... Nc6 8. Qd3
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Too early for the Queen. 8. Nc3 would have been better and PGA liked h3. |
1 comment
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8... g4
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This... is a problem. |
1 comment
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9. Nfd2
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I shouldn't have allowed this to happen. |
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9... Nxd4 10. Qxd4
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Now I'm defending a pawn with the Queen! I even realized how absurd this was as I was playing the game. I don't want to hand the pawn over, but I needed to do something quickly to find another defender, even if it was simply a rook sitting on that file. |
1 comment
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10... Qa5 11. Qxg4
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The pawn was making me nervous and threatening my castle. It wasn't a terrible pawn to have threatening though, I am always happy to capture pawns f to g in order to open up the file for the Rook. I guess I just lost my composure in this situation. |
1 comment
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11... Qxe5+ 12. Be2
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Doomed. |
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12... Qxb2 13. O-O
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I considered Nb3 and that was the recommendation of the PGA, but I figured the Rook was lost either way so I decided to introduce the threat of the other Rook. Had I decided Nb3, I was fairly certain the Rook would fall to the Bishop instead of the Queen. |
1 comment
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13... Qxa1 14. Qa4
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Attempting to configure a Queen trap. |
1 comment
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14... Qe5 15. Bd3 Nf6 16. Nf3
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You can't beat someone almost 700 rating points higher than you without using all your pieces. The Knight on b1 should have been developed already. |
1 comment
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16... Qc7 17. Nbd2
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Finally... |
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17... O-O 18. Qh4
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I see an opportunity, but the Knight sitting on f6 is a big problem. In a few moves it will be a huge problem. |
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18... d5
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I had planned to put my underutilized Knight on e4 to get the f6 knight out of the way, this move puts a severe damper on that plan. |
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19. c4
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So I meekly challenge the offending pawn. |
1 comment
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(1471)