A closed game - ways to improve?
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This is a game I recently won. I don't usually play closed games like this, but I saw an opportunity and decided to give it a try. I'm interested to see if there were better moves I could make at various points to keep Black's position restricted, and whether or not my (declined) bishop sacrifice at the end was justified.
8...f6 was a mistake but 9. d5 was not the way to capitalize on it. Black weakens his light squares unjustiably, so you want your light bishop to be piercing into the kingside, not to be blocked by a pawn. After 9. d5 black should have played 9... h5 when a possible continuation is 10. gxh5 (bad, but I want to show the dangers to your king) 10...Bxh5 11. Be3 Nh6 followed by ..f5 when black's forces completely dominate the kingside.
thus, 9. dxe5 followed by 10. Qe2 should be sufficient for a big advantage.
however it's hard to criticize this move because you capitalized quite well. finding outposts on f5 and c6 was simple and powerful, and your tactic on move 18 was a 'lil cute.
if I had one gripe it would be 21. exd7. why not 21. Bxd7? The pawn on e6 Completely restrictes kingside development, while setting up nice threats should a queen come to penetrate.
your judgement to play 23. Kh2 was correct because in some lines you actually win a rook (h8), with an ongoing attack for a light bishop.
Nice game - again, great job on capitalizing on the space advantage, but pay more regards to king safety - closing the centre could backfire!
~shuttlechess92
Thank you for the comments.
RE 9. d5?
I thought about that move (Nh4; that is what the chess.com computer analysis suggests). My thought at the time was that 1) I could always play that later and 2) I saw that his position was cramped, and thought this would be a good time and way to lock that advantage in. I totally missed the weak color complex that 8....f3? had created, so shuttlechess92's point is well taken. I guess I was too focused on the outpost squares and a (what is for me, rare) chance to play a closed position.
RE 21. exd7
I had some insane hope that the pawn would pose a queening threat. In retrospect though, I have no realistic way of protecting the queening square. 21. Bxd7 would have been quite a thorn for black though, now that I look at it.
RE King safety
Do you think it was a mistake to chase the bishop (with g4) away since I had already castled on that side? The computer recommended d3 first. I guess the knight has no where it really wants to go, so the pin isn't too dangerous at that point.
Jan 27, 2010
0
#4
On your fourth move I would have playted 4. Nf3 instead, castling could be delayed for now. That way when he plays 4... Bg4 you have 5. Nxe5 winning a pawn and threatening Legals mate if he plays 5... Bxd1.
10_1_3_1_19_19 wrote:
On your fourth move I would have playted 4. Nf3 instead,
I take it you mean Nc3. Thanks for pointing that out. I'm just getting back into chess after a 15 year haitus, and I had forgetton that pattern (if I ever knew it).