Queens Gambit Declined- Need game analysis

Where did I go wrong with white. The megadatabase of professionals just don't like the way I opened and need further comment. Thx.

It looks like 7. Bd3 gives up the advantage. If instead you had played 7. cxd5 you would be significantly better.

7.Bd3 gives black a tempo or two.  Notice you spend 3 moves to get your bishop to d3.  And then yes, 11.Re1 is a passing move.  So of course your first move advantage is going to dissipate.

As for the final position, taking the knight is no good.  The bishop is worth more than the e7 knight (he'll recapture with the knight).

You'll leave the center tention... you'd rather black capture and move your e pawn to d4.  Meanwhile you'll just try to improve your pieces.  Moves like Rc1, Qe2 (both better for your 11th move) Bf4 Red8 maybe.  You can also do small shoring up moves like a3 and h3.  It's a game of chess as they say, your specific moves will depend on what black does.

Anyway, essentially you've traded tempo for having a pawn on a central square.  Your position is optically nice, but you're basically just holding a strong point.  Black's ideas are more active, he will maneuver to try and break it down.  So here are some moves with clearer ideas.

If you do play cxd5 now black will play exd5 simply to keep a pawn in the center when his c5 break now means he's willing to accept an isolated pawn.  This type of play will have clearer ideas for you as white to play with (blockade, trade some pieces, win the pawn / endgame).  If he recaptures on d5 with the knight his minor pieces are a bit worse (you trade dark square bishops) and you can also build a big center with e4, a comfortable position for white.

After a move like a6 though, you can also consider 7.c5.  a6 both weakens b6 and also gives you the idea of playing for the eventual b5 break after you finish development, so that's another alternative that will give you a clearer way to play.

yes 7.bd3 was a decisive blunder

I wouldn't call it "a decisive blunder"... but it was certainly a serious inaccuracy. There were several better moves, such as cxd5, c5, Rc1, a4...

Around this area things get a little gray: 6. e3 a6 7. Bd3

When your opponent starts moving any pawns on the Queen side pay attetion immediately. Counter with pawns or gain a space advantage on that side. 7 Rf1 could work here.

Thanks!! At first I thought by cxd5 would spend an extra tempo rather than develop the bishop but after all the bishop back and forths it really isn't. Excellent exp. wafflemaster. This is a fun opening for me and I keep looking for little nuances to get an edge in this opening.

Wondering if you are referring to Chessbase's megadatabase?  I would guess that it should show this variation out to 25 or so moves.

In the online chessbase database, chesslive.de, white chose 11) Rc1 in 125 games, Qe2 in 28 games, a3 in 25 games and so on down the line.  11) Re1 was only chosen in one game.

Most of the moves seem to be targeting the backward pawn on c7, directly or indirectly. Re1 does not.

After the 10th move the position had no players 2500 or better.

Not really understanding the comments here. Bd3 is pretty normal in the Orthodox, no? Though I'm not a qgd player with either colour. 6...a6 looks strange, 6...c6 is just a standard position when Rc1 and then Bd3 are almost automatic. I don't see how b5 is a threat either before Bd3, or after - the key for Black is access to d5 so that he can get rid of a pair of minor pieces.

I'd rather play 7.Rc1. Black stands OK after 7.cd5 Nxd5.

What is so strange about 6...a6? It can work fine as you saw- after 7.Bd3?! dc4 Black is one tempo up in a QGA position, and white's pieces aren't optimally placed. Could he dream of more?

@ Grumblesmurf: I'm sure you will understand quite a bit more after some errr, thinking. Just one tip: There are no automatic moves in chess.

A6 would be poor because of lack of development with white responding by 7.RC1 or 7.QC2

My dear friend, if chess was THAT simple, then everyone would be a GM, and chessplayers would prefer fishing to playing.

a6 is poor due to "lack of development"- huh... I'm astonished. The regular book move is c6, which does not contribute to Black's development more.

The advantages of c6 over a6 are much more subtle. I could explain to you, but I won't, because you will not understand (it's quite apparent).

Could one also try 7. c5, trying to take advantage that the normal counter attack with b6 and a5 is a tempo behind now? It doesn't seem to be played much but scores well, and seems much better than Bd3?!, after which black can at least equalize. Rc1 or Qc2 are also quite acceptable moves, but I would rather attempt to punish black for the slightly akward move a6. Also, it seems interesting that in the chess.com database (I haven't looked at my chessbase yet) the most common response is c6, which transposes to a sort of a6 slav position where c5 is one of the most common ideas. And all of these had a6 played first, they are not just transpositions from the above mentioned slav positions.