A view into a Novice mind

Game Game 670097

Here goes
1. d4 d5
2. c4 dxc4
Queens Gambit Accepted. This is as far as I know
the opening. I have understood that the purpose of the gambit is to
gain in the center. So:
3. Nc3 Nc6
4. Nf3 f6
At this point I started thinking because I didn't see any other reason for the pawn push other than preparing for 5... e5
5. e4 e5
6. d5
Here I was thinking to reduce his space and I had to do something about the threat to my pawn. No other move made any sense to me.
6. ... Nd4
This seems to me to be a misstake that loses a pawn.
7. Nxd4 exd4
8. Qxd4 b5?
Ok, here I can clearly see the misstake.
9. Nxb5 Bb4+
10. Bd2
The thinking is: my knight is developed, my bishop isn't. And using the bishop forces him to make the decision.
10. ... Bxd2+
11. Qxd2
Using my queen for the retake to keep castling option.
11. ... a5?
12. Bxc4 Ne7
My opponent tries to bring his knight into the fray, and I get a small idea.
13. d6
My thinking here is to arrange a queen trade followed by a Knight check to prevent him from castling later on.
(example: 13. ... cxd6 14. Qxd6 Qxd6 15. Nxd6)
However:
13. ... Ba6??
This move made me stop and think. Had I misjudged the threat I was making. It didn't seem so to me. In this position I found many tactical tools and spotted a very powerful combination.
First the knight fork:
14. Nxc7+ Kd7
of three options Kd7 is the only move not instantly losing the queen.
15. Be6+
A nice web of pieces guarding each other.
15. ... Kc6 (only option)
16 Rc1+ Kb6
Now there were so many options that seemed to be ok that I stopped and concidered the postion for quite a long time. Finally I thought I spotted a killing.
17. Qd4+ Kb7
18. Bd5+ Nd5
19. Qd4+ Ka7
20. Qc5+ Kb8
Everything was going as i had planed. And I was just about to move
Qb6+, when I realised I hadnt looked into Bb7 as a defence. I was troubled. Bb7 seemed to me to destroy my elegant winning combo.
With a sigh I started to look for the best way to win material. Then it came to me. If my knight moves away, and his queen moves away I have a mate with Qc7. I realized that if I moved Ne6 and threatened his queen I could rekindle my winning attack, to the extent at least
as to get a simple endgame.
However:
21. Ne6 Qe8??
22. Qc7#

't was some luck, some skill, and some more luck, but I won.
Comments?
Is there a forced line after 14. ... Kd7 ? Earlier? Later?

Nice kill. I probably would've grabbed the exchange on move 17 Nxa8 with check, as it doesn't seem to weaken the mating attack while guaranteeing some material benefit if he comes up with a defense. You could have also simply liquidated to a rook-up endgame with 15. dxe7+ Kxe7 (forced, lest he loses the queen) Nxa8, where, regardless of the subsequent exhanges, you come out of it a full rook up, and with a couple extra pawns too.

More testing would have been 21. ... Qc7 Qb6+ Qb7 (not Bb7, which loses queen for rook) which seems to stall your attack. Maybe avoid it by 20. Nxa6 Kxa6 21. Rcg+ where, before long, you'll have your mate, or at least queen for rook.

Originally posted by paultopia
Nice kill. I probably would've grabbed the exchange on move 17 Nxa8 with check, as it doesn't seem to weaken the mating attack while guaranteeing some material benefit if he comes up with a defense. You could have also simply liquidat ...[text shortened]... before long, you'll have your mate, or at least queen for rook.

Originally posted by chasparos
how would 22. Qb6+ Qb7 23. QRc6 work?

Originally posted by paultopia
Yea, Qc8. I can't type a line without making at least one typo. :-)

I don't see the point to that line. 23. ... Qxb6 Rxb6+ Ka7 and all you've got is a couple extra pawns, but given the awkward location of your rooks, black may be able to draw? not sure.