Let me analyze your games!

I know, but I had plenty of space.

How did he fall for the trap?

Hmm...yes, unpleasant..But, I (somehow) don't think blacks attack is  really THAT dangerous..q-a4 dxe and k-c2(similar to some black opening which I don't remember the name where the king is fairly safe on c7 and a pawn is still a pawn(and if that black attack doesn't work he does still have the bishop pair)

I will get to your game at a later time owlmoon...Good that you noticed (after the game at least) that you could have won that knight

Nods head....Space is like a drivers license.  You can gain it...BUt, it is a privelege that you have to protect.  If you aren't careful the space behind the pawns can become targets for your enemy(or sometimes the pawns themselves..)

In the spirit of Owlmoon's latest game (which is decent), here are a couple of games played against a guy who didn't pay attention to his amount of space.

nice philidor play owlmoon.

My game shows why not to snatch pawns.

Hmm...let me expand upon my idea there...

That post right there is a response to Erik's mention of certain openings that feature a king on c2 or another nearby square.  These openings do sound interesting, but I don't think it's a particularly safe area in this case since Black's already got a mean array of pieces breathing down White's neck.

He took the pawn and lost a bishop.

Meatier expansion of my last post.

Oh missed e3...I will have to look at exd5 instead of fxe5.  Everything of black is hanging so white does win the piece back.  This is a very complicated position.  I will have to look at it later(too tired now)

Okay, that latest post from me covers what I think of White's 2. exd5.

How not to play the black side of the King's Gambit.

22. Qxh5+ Kg8 23. Qxa5

Indeed.  I just left off since it's White's game to win by this point anyway.

I find that the Ba3! move is an unexpected shot to a lot of people in those types of positions.

Must be. The reason is they say you shouldn't put your bishop on the sides.