Analysis of a game for a 1600

My opponent asked me to go over our game so here are some comments aimed at a 1600 player

Not all of my comments and better move suggestions have appeared on the board below. Here is the text of the pgn with better move selections included

[Event "2012 Championship"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2012.06.28"] [Round "2"] [White "kingshill"] [Black "Azimut"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2411"] [BlackElo "1654"] [PlyCount "49"] [EventDate "2012.??.??"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 Be7 5. Bf4 {For 30 years I've always played Bg5 here but looking back over what the strongest players have played over the last 18 months this is the choice of the elite.} O-O 6. Qc2 { The mos popular moves here are e3 (700+) and a3 (80). I choose Qc2 because it would make it harder to follow some grandmasters game as this has only been played 20 times over the last 18 months.} c5 {My development is lagging so opening the position up is a good idea to try to catch my king in the middle.} 7. dxc5 {White doesn't have time to play e3 as it would allow black to open the centre and catch my king in the open.} Bxc5 (7... Na6 {!? White is not going to be able to hold on to this pawn with his lagging development} 8. e3 Nxc5) 8. Rd1 {Pins the d5 pawn. Black has to watch out for the xray attack on the unguarded bishop} (8. a3 {This has been the choice of many strong players. Taking b4 away from black and taking the sting out of Qa5}) 8... Nc6 9. e3 Qa5 10. Be2 (10. a3 {Once again the computer prefers this move over my choice. The game is still pretty evenly balanced.}) 10... Nb4 11. Qb3 Nh5 {? Up until ow you've played very well but this is your first weak move. You remove protection from your king and put your knight out of play. Don't forget 'Knights on the RIM are DIM..!} (11... dxc4 {! White is only slightly better possibly because of the bishop on c8 behind the e6 pawn and slight control of the d file.}) 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 g5 14. Bg3 {in a few short moves you've managed to weaken your king side. It would have been better spending time trying to get the bishop on c8 into the game} g4 15. Ne5 f5 $16 { ?? Once you loose protection of d5 an attack opens up on your vulnerable king. } 16. a3 Na6 17. cxd5 Nxg3 18. hxg3 Rd8 19. Rxh6 Qc7 20. dxe6 {Playing an er f5 has opened up an x-ray attack on your king from the queen on b3. Make sure in future that you keep you king in the castle and don't go weakening it with rash pawn moves} Rxd1+ 21. Qxd1 Qxe5 22. Qd8+ Bf8 23. Bc4 Bxe6 24. Qg5+ Bg7 25. Rxe6 { Once again your problem is the x-ray attack caused by the distant f5} 1-0

Originally posted by kingshill
My opponent asked me to go over our game so here are some comments aimed at a 1600 player

Not all of my comments and better move suggestions have appeared on the board below. Here is the text of the pgn with better move selections included

[Event "2012 Championship"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2012.06.28"] [Round "2"] [White "kingshi ck caused by the distant f5} 1-0[/pgn]

Can you amend the original post to make it easier for the layman like myself to enjoy?

The comments don't fit with the moves. Something is mixed up.

Originally posted by gambit05
The comments don't fit with the moves. Something is mixed up.

Yeah. This following comment does not seem to make sense from the position:

"Pins the d5 pawn. Black has to watch out for the xray attack on the unguarded bishop."

And the following comment seems a bit late in coming:

"?Up until now you've played very well but this is your first weak move. You remove protection from your king and put your knight out of play. Don't forget 'Knights on the RIM are DIM..!"

I typed this out in the early hours of the morning. Please ignore the post and I'll re-edit it and paste as a new pgn

Originally posted by kingshill
I typed this out in the early hours of the morning. Please ignore the post and I'll re-edit it and paste as a new pgn

I remember, somebody else had this problem some months ago. I think it has something to do with the spaces between { and the text. Not sure so.

Originally posted by RJHinds
Yeah. This following comment does not seem to make sense from the position:

"Pins the d5 pawn. Black has to watch out for the xray attack on the unguarded bishop."

And the following comment seems a bit late in coming:

"?Up until now you've played very well but this is your first weak move. You remove protection from your king and put your knight out of play. Don't forget 'Knights on the RIM are DIM..!"

On the move previous to this comment black played Nf6-h5.

Whilst teaching juniors we always told them that putting a knight on the edge (RIM) of the board reduces its sphere of influence. To help them remember this we would preach the mantra

Knights on the RIM are DIM

This was to encourage them to develop their knights towards the centre

Originally posted by gambit05
I remember, somebody else had this problem some months ago. I think it has something to do with the spaces between { and the text. Not sure so.

Maybe this is what was meant:

[Event "2012 Championship"]
[Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2012.06.28"]
[Round "2"]
[White "kingshill"]
[Black "Azimut"]
[WhiteElo "2411"]
[BlackElo "1654"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[Result "1-0"]

Thank you for the repost. That is a lot better than what I posted..!

Thanks for the insight Kingshill, the Qc2 move is curious. Would you use similar tactics if playing as black v a 1600 player? Or as black would you see that as too dangerous?

How much do you use game databases v 2100 plus players?

Cheers.

Originally posted by The Swine Down Hope
Thanks for the insight Kingshill, the Qc2 move is curious. Would you use similar tactics if playing as black v a 1600 player? Or as black would you see that as too dangerous?

How much do you use game databases v 2100 plus players?

Cheers.

Qc2 is not a weak move and it is often played in QGD positions. It has many advantages.

- Allows the rooks to become connected
- Puts pressure on h7
->> Sometimes with a bishop on d3
- >>Sometimes with a tactic such as Ng5 if h7 is undefended
- Pressure on c7 often with a rook on c1 or bishop on f4
- Covers c4 and e4 if white wants to play through the centre with either a direct e4 or supported with f3 and possibly a rook on e1
- The biggest advantage is that players on here have access to books and databases and I don't want to be playing against some GM for 20+ moves.

I don't always play the best move in a given position as I have my preferences
- I like active positions and the initiative
- I like bishop pairs in open positions