Lots of ??? froma newb on a game with the french defense.

I am a newb to the game (started 4 months ago) at 24 and truthfully I was pleased that I even recognized this as a french defense and had any idea how to open it.  I still failed to win though due to a couple of mistakes that I noticed and I am sure a dozen others that I hope all of you can find.

Now I do have more specific questions as well.  First it seems a common attack in the opening to pull the bishop out (like in Ruy lopez), but how do you defend against a1.  do you just retreat the bishop?  I feel like this loses tempo and so why move the bishop at all?  This is one of the things that has bothered me from the beginning.

Also.  Should I just blindly follow alot of the openings because here I feel like at instead of moving my bishop out in the opening I should of just completed my pawn chain like tradition suggests, and got myself in trouble because of it.

Finally I have the most trouble seeing an engame and seem to have my opponent in my grasps then let them slip away due to poor endgame.  Did I have them in this game? could I have won? and any tips on how to better my endgame other than just continue endgame puzzles?

 I've made annotations at 16, 21, and 28 where I think I made my most egregious mistakes (I think).

Thanks in advance and Beat me up please,

Joe

I think 3...Nc6 is bad for black, preventing both c5 which he should have played instead, and Qb6 later, both fighting for the important d4 square.  This move also seems to worsen black's bad bishop on c8.  I think you should have played 4.Nf3 here.  The bishop usually goes on e2 in the french advanced.  4.Bb5 seems to be inviting black to swap off his bad bishop.  Now after 5.Nf3, i think black can swap off his bad bishop, and win an important pawn, with 6.Nxe5.  I think 8.Bc2 is better than 8.Bb3.  It has a whole diagonal on c2, and attacks black's kingside, possibly later forcing more weakening of black's pawns there.  Unfortunately, when the bishop is on b3 here its only good move is actually to c2, so i think it's better to put it there to start with.  I think on move 10 i would have castled.  You're probably going to have to do it at some point, and here you can develop your rook (black's knight is probably heading to g6 to attack your pawn) and get your king safe at the same time.  16... i agree with what you said, and your queen isnt really doing anything on h4.  After 20...Bc5 I think black has the advantage.  you are suffering from having not castled, and having no pieces developed and are struggling for a move here.  You cant castle, and developing is extremely difficult.  your knight and bishop are completely tied down and your rooks are a bit stuck.  Opposite is true for black for example with moves like 0-0 and Rd8. I think up until move 16 you are winning but by move 20 you are losing so i wouldnt blame your endgame.  As for improving, you've only been playing for 4 months, so "practice makes perfect".  

Comment 1: Bb5 is a good move in the Ruy Lopez, it is generally a bad move in the French defense. (What is the #1 problem for Black in the French defense?  It is the light-squared bishop being trapped by Black's first move e6. White should not rush with Bb5 to encourage a trade). When White does develop the light squared bishop, d3 seems to be a popular square.

Comment 2: 6 Ba4 is a mistake since your opponent can win a pawn with 6...Nxe5. 

Comment 3: I agree with above that Bc2 looks better than Bb3. (Even though Bb3 ended up being okay for you in the game because your opponent played inaccurately).  

Comment 4: I agree that 16 Qe2 is better than 16 Qh4. Not just to protect the knight though, the queen is better placed here, coordinates better with the other pieces, and prevents ...Qd3 which stops you from castling.

In the french advance, Bd3 is a questionable gambit. 

In the opening, you should avoid making too many pawn moves. T

he answer to a6 is deffinate retreat in your case. You had a good bishop there and should have kept it safe.

 Even later, you move too many pawns. Pawn moves are often deadly, and the individual skill of a player decides weathr it will be deadly for you or your opponent. 10.a4 was unnecesary and dangerous. 

18.Qe4?? offering queen trades is something you do when up in material. You were way down it.  

21.f5 e6 was the correct sequence. doubled passed pawns are a big compensation for your lack in material, and you shoud work to keep it. 

Trappin yoself on the back rank is not necesarly fatal, it's often far more dangerous for the king to get flushed out in the open.

I don't agree with the comment 18 Qe4 is a bad move. This is absolutely the best move in the position. Besides defending the pawn, the queen is going to need to move anyway after ...Ng6. Before you give two question marks to a move, you better propose which move is better than that. There are none. 

 Really? Not even Qg3?

Yes, I agree. If 18 Qg3...Nf5, 19 Qg4 Nd4. -+

As for the comment on material, I count that White has six pawns and Black five. By definition, White has more material.

More importantly the pawns White has are better, more central, and control more important squares. Thus, White can win an endgame.

Question, after 21. f5 not sure what you mean by e6?  if you mean white should play for this surely black just takes off the e pawn by 21..Nxe5