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This game highlights the theme that material shouldn't be grabbed without checking for compensation. Beginners often get their pieces trapped while trying to gobble a pawn. As they get more experienced they do a basic check to see that their piece won't be cornered after capturing material. Master check for immediate tactical tricks before winning material. Grandmasters don't take pawns if they give adequate compensation, positional trumps are favored over material ones. |
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1. Nf3
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White chooses a quiet system of development, postponing the struggle for the center till he's fully developed. |
 
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1... Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6
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Not my usual cup of tea but it's a good system as it blocks the white Bishop on g2. |
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4. d3 Bg4
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Getting the Bishop outside of the pawn chain. |
1 comment
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5. Nbd2
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White could have played more active with 5.Ne5 but instead he simply develops another piece. His position is solid and reminiscent of KID, the only difference being that d5 is heavily secured by pawns. |
2 comments
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5... Nbd7 6. O-O e5 7. e4
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The standard KID advance. |
2 comments
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7... dxe4 8. dxe4
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Exchanging is good because I don't have a hole at d5. White's Bg2 is slightly passive now. |
2 comments
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8... Bc5
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The best place for this Bishop, on d6 it would block the d-file and on e7 it would be passive. |
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9. h3
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Tempting me to exchange on f3. |
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9... Bh5
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I decline because g4 would leave White's castle weak on dark squares. White still hasn't fully develop. He can't play his Nd2 because e4 would be undefended. Trying to defend it with Re1 would allow Black to activate his Queen on b6, targeting f2. |
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10. c3
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Not really impressed with this move. Among other things it weakens d3. |
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10... O-O 11. Qe2
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Defending e4 in preparation of developing the Bc1. |
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11... a5
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Now that Nb3 could be played, I make room for my Bishop at a7, where it sits better than on b6 because it doesn't stop any pawn from advancing. |
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12. g4
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Breaking the pin. On a side note, White was wise to wait playing this until I castled or else I could have used the g-pawn to active my Rh8 with a direct attack on the h-file. |
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12... Bg6 13. Nh4
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Now that f5 is a potential outpost, White brings the Knight to it. He also clears the f-pawn to advance. |
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13... a4
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Not allowing Nb3. This move will have another advantage later on. |
1 comment
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14. Nf5 Qc7
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It's generally a mistake to exchange a Knight in a similar position, and here in particular. White would get a mass of mobile pawns on the K-side and his Bishop's diagonal would open up. From c7 the Queen covers d6, overprotects e5 and makes room for a potential Rook to come to d8. |
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15. Nc4
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Preparing to develop the Bc1 and threatening to come to d6 should I drop my guard. |
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15... h5
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Starting a tactical storm. I believed my position was good enough to start active maneuvers at once. I wanted to get rid of Nf5 before it did any real damage. |
2 comments
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16. g5
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The most active reply. |
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16... Nd5
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I didn't like Nh7, it looked to passive so I chose a more risky continuation. |
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