White doesn't really have a space advantage. Since all of black's pieces have good squares, he is not really at a lack for space to put them. On the contrary, white is over extended and the e4 pawn is weak. I'd say black has a good positional edge at move 17, so finding a plan for white will be tough. Maybe white can just shed the pawn weakness and head for a complex position with 17. e5.
accelerated dragon, Maroczy Bind loss
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I really need to work on my positional assesment skills. I thought I had the advantage. Oh well.
e5 does look best, now that I look at it. Any improvements for earlier play?
16. Qe3 doesn't seem like a useful move, the Queen would be better on the d file on which it can put pressure on d6, backed by the Rook. You would want to play Bf3 quickly and if the Knight needs to move from d4 then e2 is probably a better square than c2. (Later possibly it can go to g3) I am not sure why Nc3-e2 was played, that Knight should stay on c3 until and unless it can go to d5. Still, the position was probably maintainable if you didn't make tactical blunders.
After Kh8 looks like white has nothing concrete, perhaps the N goes to h6 or back to g3 , I like both squares better than c2 for this N however. I think white should have played 17 e5 and gone for a direct attack ....
Fiveofswords wrote:
usually the maroczy bind features the move f3, because yes, your e pawn can feel a lot of pressure. That would maybe have been a better move to play rather than h3. Instead, your h3, f4 and Qe3 moves made it look liek you were going for the push 17. e5...but you didnt do it..why not? doesnt look so bad actually.
Thanks for all the help, guys.
f3 makes sense now. I didn't play it, because I wanted to play f4 at some point. This, however, was a bad plan, as has been pointed out. I didn't play e5 because, as a general rule, I try and avoid isolated pawns. I know; takes space, can be a strength as opposed to a weakness. In this case, it becomes quite strong.
Reb
Here's a game where I started well, but then just started blundering spectacularly when the position became dynamic. I think I was settled for a long positional struggle and just fell to pieces when black succesfully found counterplay, and found a tactic (that I missed) to win a pawn. What I'm really asking is what you think the right plan for white is at move 17?