More beginner self-analysis and advice seeking

Hey all,

I've posted a few similar threads in which I've looked over games that I played here on chess.com, tried to locate points where I could improve, and asked you guys to help me analyze as well.  Pushing aside the fear of being repetitive, I feel that I've been able to really use all of your advice to improve, and I played another interesting (to me) game recently that it might help to have someone else lay eyes on.

For those who I haven't spoken with previously, I'm a true beginner.  I started playing chess more seriously within the last month or so, but I'm looking to take advice from more experienced players to improve.  My rating has been in the mid to high 700s for the most part, but I've won 4 consecutive games recently, including 2 against 800+ players (Pathetic, I know ), and I'm starting to feel a bit more confident.

Anyway, I'm going to make comments move by move on this game that I played.  Please put forth and advice or insights that you may have! Thank you.

EDIT: All of my comments show up one move before they should.  Very sorry.

Generally, in the queen's pawn opening, the knight will be played to d7 anyway.  c6 (the slav defense) is a well-respected choice to support black's central pawn.  Also with e6, black will typically play a6, b5, fianchetto his bishop, and pressure the center with c5 (the meran variation).  I also think you pushed c5 too early.  This takes the tension out of the center and allow black to break down your structure with a later b6.

While you do have more space on the queenside (as you mentioned), black's correct plan is to gain space in the center with the pawn break e5, and eventually play e4.  Black would then have more kingside space and could start an attack there.

As is to be expected from beginners game there are some easy tactics missed (eg. 24. Nxe6+ winning the queen thanks to the pin on Bc8 or 42. Rf7#) but let me point out few general things about the opening.

The goal of the opening phase is to develop pieces and taking actions that don't contribute towards this should usually be deferred until the  development is complete. 3. c5? is a bad move played this early since it doesn't contribute to the development. Also, black could reply with 3... b6, when white can't even hold onto the pawn chain: 4. b4? a5 etc. Better moves for white would be 3. Nf3 or Nc3 continuing to develop.

7. Ne5? only wastes time and helps black, since 7... f6 would be a good answer preparing e5. Better to just continue development with Bd3 or Be2. If you wanted to play f4, you could have played 6. f4 before Nf3 saving precious time over game continuation.

You correctly identified two mistakes by black early on: 6... a6? and 9... h5? that not only fail to develop but don't do anything usefull and worse still weaken the b6-square and g6 pawn for no reason. At move 6 black should play 6... Bg7 or Nbd7 and at move 9 for example Bg7+0-0+Nbd7+e5 (or perhaps in some other order). Also, instead of retreating 14... Nb8? black should go 14... Nf6.

Ibastrikov, I ended up reading up on the Slav defense.  I see where it's going to some extent, but I still don't like how it takes away that c6 square. I'd still feel more comfortable with e6 and the eventual fianchetto of black's light-squared bishop in defense of the Queen's Gambit. And I see what you're saying about having pushed my c pawn too early. Thanks so much for the input 

Shakaali, thank you for the advice regarding some better moves that I could have played during the opening.  I understand that the idea of the opening is to get all of your pieces involved and to attack the center, but a lot of the moves that you pointed out just didn't catch my eye during the game . Thanks so much!

To mlevine4444, when black plays c6 and e6, he usually follows up with the fianchetto of the light squared bishop and then later opens the diagonal by playing cxd4, and c5 pressuring white's center.  You should look up the meran variation of the semi-slav defense.  If you don't feel comfortable with this variation, I would recommend the tarrash variation (1. d4 d5  2. c4   e6  3. Nf3/Nc3  c5.  This makes development very easy as you can know develop your knight to c6 as you like.