Marshall G60 -- Know your openings

Been a while since I posted games, but last Saturday, I played in the Marshall's G60 swiss. I had some fairly simple wins, as well as an interesting third game before ducking out to go get my drink on. I picked up a dozen rating points, putting me at 1625.

Game one I had the white pieces against a Schevenigan (I think). While I did miss a pretty simple tactic that would have given me a pawn and a large advantage early on, I also played with a clear plan and blew him apart in 23 moves.

Game two I had the black pieces in an Alapin. I played the line that gives white an IQP, which may not be the most taxing but it's currently the only one I know. An early gambit led to me having a huge advantage, which was only increased when white blundered a piece. I lost the thread a bit trying to figure out how to convert, and backed away from the super complicated line (which would have mated) in favor of consolidation. 

Game Three I had against the winner of the tournament. I mixed up my opening lines and ended up transposing from an accelerated dragon to a regular one. An innaccuracy followed by a refusal to give up a pawn for king safety gave white that extra tempo he needed, and so I lost very convincingly.