Counterpunch

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Qd7 {Black prepares to defend the g7 pawn if needed. If white playd Qg4, then black moves the f-pawn to open the way for the queen to defend the g7 pawn.} 5. Bd2 {Preventing the double-pawns.} 5... b6 {Black would like to exchange the light bishops on a6. This is a good strategy, because the c8 bishop is passive in most of the variations in the french opening.} 6. Bb5 c6 7. Ba4 {The white bishop moved away from the a6-f1 diagonal to prevent the exchange and later plans to come back to the game on c2. First need to play c2-c3.} 7... a5 8. a3 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Ba6 10. Bd2 Bb5 11. Bb3 c5 {Black attacks on the queenside. White needs first to defend there and then plans to attack on the other side. d4 is the critical square.} 12. c3 Nc6 13. Be3 a4 14. Bc2 Nge7 15. Ne2 Na5 16. O-O Rc8 17. Re1 Nc4 18. Rb1 Nc6 19. Ng3 Nxe3 20. Rxe3 cxd4 21. cxd4 {The position looks very good for white. d4 is well defended and ready to attack on the kingside. The c2 bishop is better than the b5 bishop.} 21... Nxd4 {Here my opponent played an agressive move which looks like winning a pawn. Actually it could be a good pawn sacrifice for white, but I won back the pawn with a small edge.} 22. Bxa4 {The counterpunch. White wins back the pawn and got a better knight against a worse bishop.} (22. Qxd4 Rxc2 23. Nh5 {This would be very good for white. The b6 or the g7 pawn falls.}) 22... Bxa4 23. Qxd4 h5 24. Rc3 Rxc3 25. Qxc3 h4 26. Ne2 {The knight is heading to d4 to block the pawn and later white start to push his a- and b-pawns.} 26... O-O 27. Rc1 {Securing the c-file.} 27... Rc8 {Black wanted too hard to get the c-file or maybe slipped his mouse?} 28. Qxc8+ {After The Bishop counterpunch white improved the position in every move and black just played overagressive and it backfired.}