Annotated chess game

One stop too late...

Well, you've got the two bishops now, and your knight can always go back to f3. The best plan I see for white is Be2, 0-0, Nf3 and a chance to regroup. Still, black is going to put pressure on d3, force white to push to d4, and then possibly sink his knight into e4 if white follows that plan.

Tag's not a total dumbass...

It's a better move, really, plus your knight didn't have the support to go after the kingside.

Forced of course... blacks advantage has disappeared since the Ned7 move... shows how playing passively without mistakes isn't alaways good enough, you've gotta be a bit better than that...

If the genie appears tell him to get in touch with me. This move's ok, for the first time you have the queen on an appropiate square, and he needs to spend a move moving his king or pulling his queen back to defense...

Not necessarily a great move; d4 will open some tough lines against the black king.

Correct! Kb8 is safer.

No rush for d4 just yet, Qa6+ would be a pretty phony attack (for now) and castling also guards against a future Nd5, followed by Nxe3 and Qg3+. Castling kingside is better than C. queenside of course, allowing a pawn charge on the black king...

This is a good move; last move Bxd3 was not possible because of Rad1; this is a real threat now!

I don't think it's too smart, 19. Bxc5! Qxc5 20. d4 and white's well poised with a knight that's able to reach the strong e5 square as well as good foundations for a kingside attack (a4, b4, etc etc.) White was probably worried about losing the bishop pair, but sometimes it can be worth it!

tut tut, black can now take d3 with the bishop... (the Rad1 pin then fails, owing to the immediately threatened queen on c2 Bxd3 causes...

This is a weenie-looking move, and isn't necessary. Why? Because Bxd3 wins a pawn immediately.

Lazy tag... only ever tries when he plays me (and a few other selected opponents, like you Ethan...)

White's unsuccessful attempts to defend d3 have resulted in this ugly-looking move. d4 is impossible here because of the bishop.

Good strategic formations generally (but not always) have the pawns IN FRONT, not BEHIND, the other allied pieces... again taking the knight is better, then this 'ugly' looking move is prevented...

21. Na6 is better, with the d rook attacking the d file black has the threat of e5, winning the d pawn (there you see why Bd4 was bad; Because it's 'pinned' to prevent the loss of d3, which would be gone already if it wasn't for tags laziness.) How would white prevent this threat? Rfd1 looks the obvious choice, but i still think black would be better off. At least Dave has the right idea though, trying to attack the kingside with b4...

White needs to worry about where that dark bishop is going to go after e5. Maybe Rad1 offered more chances?

Rfd1 ethan, Dave needs the a rook to stay where it is to keep chances of an effective pawn battering ram alive. Nf4 doesn't do that much dave, with the rook off f1 you could always retreat the bishop to f1 (if you want to keep it...) Or, if your worried about the knights presence on f4 you could simply challenge it with Be3, rather than weaken your kings base...

And you will pay the price for weakening your kings base (unless tag lets you off the hook again...)

There is precious little time for white left here; he is on his heels positionally.

Tag, Dave and Ethan all miss the winner 23. Nxe3. 24. fxe3 e4! Which is a unlucky calamity for white. Well done lads...

Beautifully observed Rob, beautifully observed. Glad i wasn't playing you!!