lLenn, I got your message about 27...dxc5 being better, but unless I missed something, dxc5 loses due to Qxd7.

Wolfstriker1, you're not missing anything, got to that conclusion aswell.

Nice game, good notes.

I don't think I would have played a6 quite so early in the game, as it forced the exchange, which ended up with black's bishop moving three times in the opening.

I'm not sure about 10... Rc8 quite so early. I agree that that is the spot for the rook, but the kingside probably needs developing first, especially as that rook move pretty much dictates where black's king will end up.

I like the concept of 15...Ne8, it's the style of move I've only been brave enough to do recently. I think I would have followed straight up with f5 though, and try to break the centre.

Any views on 18...f4? I thought that looked like a strong move planting a pawn in sight of white's king. As you pointed out in your notes, it's certainly better than fxe4.

I may not have thought this one through entirely, but I was tempted by 19...Bxf3 

20 Rxf3  Rxf3

21Qxf3   b6

with a view to playing Nf6 in the near future and moving the rook across to the kingside

Anyway, no more rambling from me, well played to both of you

Rc8 probably was premature considering the lack of kingside development.

I also have a problem with moves that put my knight on the backrank again. Probably because we are so conditioned when we are beginning to play not to, we have trouble understanding the value of doing so.

18...f4 is probably a better move. I think white would then have to play Qd5+, Kh8, Rd3 in order to maintain defense of the knight on g3. Otherwise, I'll ruin my kingside pawn structure.

As for 19...Bxf3, I don't see anything wrong with that. It does save the pawn, which is good.

Thx for the comments RedSpecial.

Your right about the opening. The whole process makes me underdeveloped and therefor I wont play anything like that again.

As Wolfstriker said Rc8 is indeed to early and reveals the intentions of black to soon.

As for the other moves, I'll make sure that I look for more alternative moves in the future before making one. The ones you mentioned are all better than the ones I played.