kramakintews wrote:
Wow, just for fun I looked at the opening database and it's remarkable how successful 2.e4 is for white. But I would have played 5...Nf6 and hoped.
It's 58% for 7200 games in my correspondence database. That is healthy.
best way this tragedy could have been prevented?
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Thanks for the analysis
I'm no expert but I think it would've been wiser to focus more on developing your minor pieces which woulld have made it a lot more difficult for white to manouver round the board so easily and also allowed you to castle. You accepted the gambit which gave White lots of momentum to develop his pieces and lauch a swift attack.
I think you over developed your pawns, and when you did finally develop your bishop you moved it more than once which also slowed down your development. You lost the bishop which diminished your impact on the centre.
You brought out your queen and moved it more than once as well, and you ended up retreating it to a cramped position.
By this time White has gain too much momentum to be stopped. I don't think accepting the gambit was a bad move but I think its more to do with your development and positioning. I would suggest something like...
6 out of 14 pawn moves (almost half) and the rest where poor development moves and very passive. By move 5 he's got 2 Knights and a pawn in the centre and you've got nothing
Here's a vid on basic opening principles that you might find more helpful http://www.thechesswebsite.com/LearnToPlayChess/chess-opening-strategies.html
The game went downhill after 4.f3. I wish I hadn't taken that pawn. Would I have been better off playing 4...e3? Should I have left white have the pawn? But what about the strong center I would have given him?