Annotated chess game

Interesting decision. I would have been tempted, myself, to keep the rook on the h-file, and see about castling on the Q-side. Nothing wrong with White's choice though. A judgement call.

In principle, not a well-motivated exchange. It gets rid of an active White piece, sure, but also gets rid of Black's only active piece right now, Better to have left the bishop there, where it was safe enough, and develop the knight - 12...Nc6.

Now Black is faced with an unpleasant tactical situation. The d-pawn is attacked twice (by bishop and knight), but defended once (by the queen). There are no more defenders available. But if the pawn moves ... well, let us see, shall we?

Saves the pawn. and attacks the knight, BUT...!

OK, but White had the even stronger 14.Bxb7 dxc3 15.Bxc3! ... You will see why 15.Bxc3 is better than playing 15.Bxa8 at once, although the latter would still be winning. The rook can not run away from the bishop's attack, so the OTHER bishop captures his assailant betimes. Not even 15...Nd7 will help as 16.Bxa8 Qxa8 17.Qxd7 still gains material. The exchange of Queens will add value to White's already large advantage.

16...Ne5 would have been much better.

Let's Black off the hook, rather - at least somewhat.

But this exchange was practically forced, as the only move to save rook and knight both (note that though the knight has gone, exchanging it off for a material equivalent - in this case, a bishop - counts as 'saving' it).

I might have been inclined to try 18...Qb6, here, and then bring the rooks - especially the Queen's rook - into the centre (...Rad8).

White is putting together a nice, strategic, Q-side attack. Instead 19.Qd3 might have led to interesting operations on the K-side. Black has also to watch for tactical shots based on the bishop and knight on the same diagonal as the a8-rook. White MIGHT have been tempted to exchange down here, even at a slight discount: 19.Nf6ch Qxf6 20.Bxa8 Rxa8. Although White will have given up a 6-pawn material equivalent to get 5, the fewer pieces remaining would have meant to rook extra would have had the more significance. But White does better as he has done, and kept that tactical shot in abeyance.

'En passant' capture. Allowed ONLY when a pawn moves up two squares, when moving up one only would have left it liable to capture. The 'en passant' capture MUST be played at once. Had Black not played it now the opportunity would have been lost for good. (Historical significance from a time pawns could never move two squares. The two-square initial move might have meant immunity, but for the e.p. rule).

Clever tactics, but unnecessary. I prefer, here 20.Nxc3 Rc8 21.Bc6, with an overwhelming position. White would welcome the Queen exchange.

You forget, Joe, that White already gave up a knight for this tactic. So it's two pieces for the rook, which is actually a small loss for White. However, this simplifies the position to one in which White is a rook ahead, so I approve of White's flexible thinking here.

Better here was 20...Qxf6 21.Bxa8 Rxa8, with some prospect, however slender, of counter-play.