Short game - Big lesson #1

This is the second post in a series of short games that will be released every Monday. If you want to be part of this journey you can share one of your games by sending me a message.

Last week we talked about how important it is to remember our biggest mistakes, although we may never feel comfortable doing so, they have built a fundamental part of our chess career by making us better players. You can read the post here: https://www.chess.com/blog/GaboSalazar2001/short-game-big-lesson

For better or worse, we are going to have more decent games than horrible ones where everything goes wrong. That's why we all need to analyze our and other people's games if we want to get more experience.

Today I bring you an old game that illustrates how complicated gambits are, one wrong step and you could find yourself in a lost position quickly.

Even the best chess players skip fundamental ideas when they are having a bad day. What can we learn from this game? It is necessary for the growth of each player to create several conclusions and write them down, in this way you internalize your knowledge, being able to use it in the future.

Having that said, I invite you to create your conclusions and then compare them with mine. Hopefully, we can both learn from each other .

CONCLUSIONS:

1. Prioritize development over pawns: only capture a pawn in the opening once you have analyzed deeply enough and found that you will be able to complete your development without any problems. During the game, black should have captured the white pawn on e4 only when he knew that he was going to develop the other pieces successfully.
2. Do NOT move the queen at the beginning of the game: This idea (look how I am not writing "rule" because it always depends on the position) is quite well known, but still, people are trying to make it disappear with bold moves with this piece. I would recommend doing this when you have thoroughly analyzed its possible consequences. In the game, I would never have played Qh4+ if I had not studied this line carefully.
3. Think about countergambits to fight against the unknown: this is an extra conclusion we have come to from looking at a few different lines in the opening (such as d5 early in the game). However, this idea should be used carefully, you want to return the extra pawn to your opponent just to develop your pieces faster, otherwise, you will not solve the main problem of your position.

What do you think? Do we agree on some conclusions? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments! Do not forget that you could be part of this series by sending me a message with your game.

I am the chess Fide Master Gabriel Salazar, available for new students:
Contact: gabosalazarolchowski@gmail.com