Analysing My Own Games: Falling for a Bluff

I played an interesting 10 minute blitz game today which had many twists and turns.

 

Three points of review came out of my post mortem: planning, strategical blunder and tactical blunder.

 

 

 

I assessed I had obtained a good position out of the opening. I've created double isolated pawns.

 

However, I'm still uncertain my best plan of continuations. I had looked at 1. Qe1 intending Qg3 but wasn't certain how to meet ... Nb4.

  

 

Here I made a strategically disastrous decision after 1. Nxd4 de which gives Black a tremendous outpost for his Knight at e3.

 

I had feared the captures at f3, but in analysis it is not bad for White as my Queen can assume duties on the g-file.

 

1. h3 Nxh3 2. Rxf3 Rxf3 3. gf Nf6 4. Qg5 and I think White is fine.

 

 

I had intended on my next move to play Nf1 after which I believed all exchanges woudl lead to a draw.

 

My opponent shocked me with 1. ... Nxc2 which I had seen that 2. Qxc2 Qf2+ 3. Kh1 Qxe1+ 4. Nf1 Qxf1 mate.

 

This is completely absurd by me, as I was blind to see that 2. ... Qf2+ is met by 3. Qxf2.

 

A bad case of believing my opponent's bluff, and highly embarrassing:)