Pretty Good Mating Web?

I was pretty excited when I saw this mating web. I'm a 1400's player (RHP rating) and this tactical maneuver was counterintuitive for me. I'm trying to open my chess mind and see more.

[Event "RHP Blitz rated"]
[Site "www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2010.3.19"]
[Round "?"]
[White "USArmyParatrooper"]
[Black "marktowler"]
[Result "1-0"]

Pretty good. Personally I still like that discovered en passant of yours.

Also, two questions.

1: Did he have a better tactical reply after I played (18. Bxg6)? It did work out, but was the move accurate?

2: After (14. fxg6) he recaptures with his H-pawn. I often end up with a very similar situation when I play the Sicilian as black. Is it better to recapture with the F or H pawn, or does it depend on position? I tend to want to recapture with my F pawn because I just "feel" like my king is more vulnerable with an open H-file and with my pieces on the right side of my king.

Originally posted by JDChess
Pretty good. Personally I still like that discovered en passant of yours.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
1: Did he have a better tactical reply after I played (18. Bxg6)? It did work out, but was the move accurate?

Pretty!

Originally posted by SwissGambit
I'm thinking 20...Be8 was a better try.

16...e4! also suggests itself.

Nice clearance sac at the end.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
I agree, 16...e4 would have been strong. I saw that and was hoping he wouldn't make that move.

Is my opening OK?

Yes, a nice little alert wrap up.

Had a good 4/0 game earlier on.

I played Ne2 to get away from Sveshnikov theory as I know nothing about it
and the lad went to pieces. An unforced swap on c3 and he more or less
dared to sac on h6.

This position, him to play.



He took ages to move here (he took the Bishop on h6 right away).

Anyway, as often happens after a long think at blitz, he blundered and
played Kg7 and walking into a Knight fork.

Then here. Him to play.



Two pieces attacked so he played Nb6.

I did not take the Rook but gummed him up instead.
(I'm not giving up my Knight against someone who misses Knight forks!).

Look at this - him to play.



Find him a move. He eventually came up with Na4 trying to untangle
the Queenside with b6/b5.

Then came my Knight sac and he ran away after 24.Rg6+ with just a
few seconds left. I've added the forced mate.

For me, the f4 f5 thing was what I liked the most.

Playing for mate.

I like it:-)

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
Also, two questions.

1: Did he have a better tactical reply after I played (18. Bxg6)? It did work out, but was the move accurate?

2: After (14. fxg6) he recaptures with his H-pawn. I often end up with a very similar situation when I play the Sicilian as black. Is it better to recapture with the F or H pawn, or does it depend on position? I ...[text shortened]... y king is more vulnerable with an open H-file and with my pieces on the right side of my king.