I've really been hoping to shore up my mid-game, but I keep seeming to lose tempo as I try and develop all of my pieces. I'm sure this is an issue for many who -- like me -- are not at the 1700+ ranking, maybe more like 1600+.

However, I have found ways of keeping enough pressure to create opportunities where I know I should be paying for my mistakes. Here is a game in which I won by checkmate, though I feel my play was very sluggish.

Can anyone recommend ways in which I might have kept my gameplay more succinct? I have trouble starting a line and adapting to off-book moves, or strange transpositions.

Thanks in advance.

...ryan

I don't think your opening was quite as ramshackle as you seem to think it was.  You could've tried 4 c3 so you can recapture on d4 with a pawn and avoid your queen being buffeted; but I think d4 is a pretty dandy square for the lady (especially since your opponent didn't take the immediate tempo gain with 6... Nc6).

You had an interesting possibility on your tenth move:  10 Bf4.  Now 10... Nxf4 loses the exchange to 11 Qe5+, and 10... Bb7 loses material to 11 Qxd7+.  Which leaves the woeful 10... Rb7.  After 11 Bg3 Black's position looks pretty sluggish, to put it mildly.

On your eleventh move, 11 Bg5 looks like it would keep your development advantage.

19 Bxb7 (followed by 20 Nd5 21 Nxc7 and 22 c3) was maybe a bit safer than what you did.

I don't think you should've given up the e4-pawn.  After 23... Qxf5 he would've been two comfortable pawns up (his 23... d5 however gave you some play).  Anyway, I think 22 Qd3 would hold everything together (your pieces are no more discombobulated than his are, especially the perennially silly rook on b7).

Oh, and by the way 25... Rdb8--no (you would have 26 Qxb7, due to the mate threat).

thank you tony for your analysis. your variation on move 10. is quite interesting indeed. and regarding that rook move, you're totally right. i forgot i was eyeballing that checkmate on the back rank.

and i think i was more commenting on my mid-game being a little haphazard than i was the opening. though i do get squeemish when i am trying for book lines and get into unorthodox transpositions. i know i should be taking advantage of it, but it's also where i screw up usually.

the rest of your notes, all very valuable.

thanks again!

...ryan