Again, for the third time in three games, I am black. This is a match from our local league.
My opponent was slightly weaker than those I usually have to play in the league but considerably stronger than I was two years ago, so it felt like my efforts to improve might be slowly paying off. Though granted my opponent did make a lot of errors under pressure.
Any comments welcome, especially where you think my commentary is wrong.
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. e3 Bg7 4. Bd3 O-O 5. O-O d6 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7. b3 Re8 8. Bb2 e5 9. e4 h6 {I wanted to get my king off the g8-a2 diagonal with the idea of a Knight sacrifice on e4, followed by a pawn storm and a pawn fork on e4 - I had to remove the threat of a check from the light squared bishop.} 10. c4 Nh5 {planning to drop the knight on f4} 11. Re1 Nf8 {Bringing my light squared bishop to life, and bringing the knight over to join a kingside attack} 12. d5 {This is the computers top choice, but I can't really see why. If I could pick a move for white this is the one I would have picked. It closes the centre and I think, reduces white's chances of counterplay there whilst also making it more difficult to get defenders across.} Nh7 13. Nf1 {c5, opening a file and looking for counterplay is better, this is just passive.} Nf4 {A nice post for the knight} 14. h3 Ng5 {bringing more force to bear on h3, with the idea of sacrificing a piece for two pawns and blasting open the kings cover. Also hoping white will be tempted by NxN, allowing me to bring my queen into the attack.} 15. Nxg5 $2 {Haleliwia!} Qxg5 16. Ng3 h5 17. Bc1 h4 18. Bxf4 $4 {A blunder that loses material.} exf4 19. Qf3 $2 {leaving two pieces on prise} Bxa1 {Not the best move according to the computer, but grabbing the rook now adds a clear and large material advantage whilst still retaining the initiative. It was the clearest easy win I could see at the board.} 20. Ne2 Be5 21. Kf1 Qh5 {again, not objectivley the best move, but forcing simplification into an easy win, white has to exchange queens or else.....} 22. g4 $4 hxg3 23. Qg2 $4 Bxh3 24. Nxg3 Bxg2+ 0-1
The opening was similar to my last game, and I remembered the advice from this thread http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?subject=Another_game%2C_another_dodgy_sacrifice.&threadid=160887 whilst playing. That's why I was looking for the fork on e4. 😀
