Von Beivorseen

I played a 5/0 game using what I found later to be called the Von Beivorseen var. of the Reversed Chigorin Defense.  I'd never played this before. I don't even remember seeing any games with this opening. I played the opening moves to make the game interesting and non-book (though apparently it is book).  My opponent was somewhat higher rated, but in spite of obvious mistakes and missed opportunities on my part, his play was weaker. I made some notes as I was playing back through the game:

Are my notes too deep?

Okay, this comment pushed the right buttons. ;) This is a very uncommon line I confess I have no knowledge of. But some things I noticed:

 - As you yourself mentioned, his 7.Nb5 was a big mistake of course because of 8...d4! But what was the rationale behind your own 6...d5? Did you hope he’d play 7.cxd e.p.? I think 7... Nh5 8.Bh2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Qa5 10.Qd2 exd 11.e3  would have been rather more promising for White then for Black.

- 9...d4 seems not only one move late, but also by this time not the best option anymore. I think grabbing the pawn (9...Qxc5) would have been mandatory.

- But he in turn should have played 10.Ne4 because this would have prevented you from grabbing the pawn one move later (which alas you didn’t do anyway ;))

- I don’t see the reason why he played 12.c3, and here I would have just taken the pawn, exchange bishops and get the queen back to a5 (evening out material again eventually).

- His 16.Bb4?? was a big blunder because of 16...e3!! - as again you yourself noticed in the aftermath. It’s a pity, but of course this was a 5 minute game - something I am notoriously bad at, and I’m sure I already would have lost on time at that point ... ;)

-  After his 20.Rb1 the game is just basically over, so I stopped looking further there.

Thanks for the notes!