This game comes from my participation in a 7-12 U900 tournament, and was the final game I played after winning all other rounds. It's been bugging me, because I never got any advice on this game afterwards, as everyone else left. I know my opponent didn't play very strongly, but I do believe that as a beginner, I will have missed things. Although I can't play in U900 anymore... I don't think this belongs in Showcase for the fact that I am not that strong of a player!
Beginners Game
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Good game. You missed a mate in 22. Qc2#
The white player clearly did not have his Wheaties that morning! As I see it, his first mistake was 4. Nc4? Much safer was a simple return to f3, which would lead to the standard line of Petrov's Defense (4. ..Nxe4, and you're no longer down a pawn). None of which really matters to this game, because white compounded his problems with the 5. Qe2? 6. e5? 7. Qxe5? fiasco, which accomplishes nothing except for leaving his queen horribly exposed. Your play was pretty good from then until 10. ..Bd5?, which does in fact overwork the bishop as white can (and should have) played a simple 11. c4 to move the bishop off, and then you lose that knight. Better would have been to bring the knight back to safety with 10. ..Nf6, at which point you've got far superior development to compensate for your lost pawn. But again, white pretty much made that all a moot point, as he clearly didn't have his head in the game. Better luck for him next time! Anyway, good stuff and keep up the good work! Jesus is Lord!