Annexing Territory

very nice game

nice game.

I've never seen 2.f4 before. is that theory or can black come out with a good/better position? I ask because, it usually takes me some regrouping to play the thematic f2-f4-f5 push( usually with an awkward Nf1 first) as white in the french and to play f4 straight off the bat seems like an awesome idea!

And that is what happens when Black plays the French defense passively. 12...f5????? was terrible.

Love the position after 22b6.  Black has barely enough space to fit the pieces, and not nearly enough to use them.  It's fantastic.

Still, color me strange, but 2 f4 just looks dubious to me.  Fantastic as this game might be, alone, it can't convince me otherwise.

Believe it or not, I think 3... Nc6?! was a critical mistake.  You've got to play C5 in the French Defence.

after a little research, 2.f4 seems like a perfectly viable 'anti-french' system. It's called the 'La Bordonnais- Macdonnell attack'.

http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/games/java/2009/french-f4.htm

That was fascinating. I love the positional technique you clearly demonstrate.

I also think the f4 idea on move 2 was very interesting.