So, I was at my local chess club about two weeks ago, and during an internal tournament I played this game as black.

 

As I have been analysing it I've come up with some questions and would like to hear what you people have to say about the game.

How good is 2. g3 for white? To me it just seemed wierd.

 

Other moves I've been wondering about are 27. ... c6?! and 32. Rd1?.

Thank you!

 

It is called the King's fianchetto according to http://www.csm.astate.edu/~wpaulsen/chess/intro.htm

I don't know if it is a good idea. I have been experimenting with 1 d4... 2 b3 which protects the d pawn and when it's gone I have a bishop pointing to his kingside, where the other guy will probably have castled.

5. Bh3? was wrong but the rest looks fine to me...

ivandh wrote:

It is called the King's fianchetto according to http://www.csm.astate.edu/~wpaulsen/chess/intro.htm

I don't know if it is a good idea. I have been experimenting with 1 d4... 2 b3 which protects the d pawn and when it's gone I have a bishop pointing to his kingside, where the other guy will probably have castled.

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 Yeah, but here the e4 pawn is locked for a considerable time, and when it's out of the way white's light squared bishop is long gone. I guess he wanted to make it useful by wasting a move playing 5. Bh3?, but as I see it it only weakens his position even more.

 

Chessmaster recommended 5. ... Bxh3, which is probably fine, seeing how weak the light squares become on his kingside.

white's wasted opening moves were much worse than his fianchettoed king's bishop.  Black had 3 developed pieces to white's one.  You missed 5) or

6).... BxBh3

7)NxBh3 Qd7

and if

8) Ng5 h3 and your lead in development snowballs

9)Nf3 Ng4

I think 27....c6 was necessary as was white's Rd1 but it should have been preceded by h4,

I think your 35...e5 was risky

36)c5+ Kxc5

37 Kb1 threatening Rc1

 

PS did you mean 37 Rd1?? Your intro notes have 32 Rd1, but you give 37 the question mark under the move .

The opening is similar to a Kings Indian Attack, though moving the bishop to h3 violates general opening principals. Rather than Bh3 it would be better to go Nf3 and O-O and your king is safely entrenched.  I would also use caution playing these moves blindly, always observe your opponents plans and try to develop with tempo.

Escapest_Pawn wrote:

I think your 35...e5 was risky

36)c5+ Kxc5

37 Kb1 threatening Rc1

 

PS did you mean 37 Rd1?? Your intro notes have 32 Rd1, but you give 37 the question mark under the move .

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Yes, that's true, and I sort of realized it (hence my bxc4 move directly after). But Qa8 defends the knight in case white plays Rc1, and I still have my Rg1 move if he tries to move his rook up the board, as I played later on.

 And yes, sorry, I meant 37. ... Rd1?, not 32. ... Rd1.

another reason why g3 is bad is that in the opening you're trying to develop all your pieces as quickly as possible. e4, already opens a diagonal for you bishop (and queen), opening another diagonal for the bishop is a waste of move. To me, it seems that white is giving up the first move.

I don't think the line you give after 28 Nd6 is necessarily all that good for White.  Black has some very good squares in the center lined up for his knights (once he can maneuvre around to them).

 

I like 29 e5 for White.  He seems to be getting a very strong attack (and possibly even winning the piece back).  If 29... Ng6 30 Qe3. 

 

I also think 30 Qe5+ is promising.  After picking off all (or most) of the pawns on the queenside White can play h4.  Black pieces are then in an awkward state.