My First Tournament Game!

nice game

what are the ratings of both of you ?!

Very good for a first tournament !

4...Bg4 (?) : I feel this is wrong, but it is not so easy to prove (as in the regular Philidor where after 3.d4 Bg4 ? there is almost a forced win).

5.h3 (?) looks like a mistake : 5...Bxf3 6.Qxf3 (6.fxf3 Nxd4) 6...Nf6 (6...Nxd4 ?? 7.Qxf7#) and Black has equalized (he will soon trade the c6 knight against the Bc4). I would play 5.c3, but of course that's not very active.

5...Bh5 ? is a serious mistake

6.Bb5 : again, I would play c3.

11.Qg3 !! deserves two exclams, as it is not easy, when you are offered a comfortable endgame (weak doubled c pawns + center pawns in favor of your bishop), to refuse the queen trade.

13.Nd2 (?) : I do not agree with your plan. The knight won't do much on f5. I would play the weird looking 13.Bd2 !? : it does not really lose a tempo because it attacks g7, and the idea is Bc3/Nd2/Nf3 pressuring e5.

13.f6 has the merit to trade bishops. Actually, this might be a good move in such a hard position for Black.

15.fxe3 ? : For the first time, I completely disagree with you. Better Qxf3, followed by Nb3 (blocking temporarily the b file and aiming the hole at c5) and Rd1, doubling on the d file, etc.

15...0-0-0 ? : Of course, you have to die of something, but obviously ...Ne7 could have put a real tough defense around the queenside weaknesses. Now White will just butcher the black king.

17.Qg4+ (?) : I don't like it, because you force the king to defend his pawns. 17.Qe1 already is a threat : if Black does nothing, 18.Qa5 wins the a pawn due to 18...Kb7 19.Nc5+ with a mate.

20.Na5+ does win the exchange at least. The critical line is 20...Kb6 21.Nc6 Rxd1 ? 22.Nxe7.

21...Rd6 (?) : there might still be a bit of hope with 21...Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Rd8 22.a5+ Ka7 23.Nxc5 Rd6, but of course Black should lose with one less pawn and an inferior position.

What follow are just details about how to win faster a won position, but not really mistakes.

24.Qa7 (?) : you missed the quicker 24.Nc4 Re6 (forced because of 24...Rd7 ?? 25.Nb6+ and Nxd7) 25.Qe5 where Black's pieces are completely tied up and the not-so-subtle Qa8+ threat is already hard to counter.

25.Nb7, as you mentioned, was also faster than the text.

26.Nc4 ! : my first thought was the elegant-looking Nc6 ?, but it does not lead anywhere.

37...resigns : I guess you have seen that if 37...Ra1 38.Ra5 ! and the pawn promotes, but I point it out for the others.

thanks very much for the great analysys! I am keen to hear anything else anybody has to say

Spite checks...pretty blondes...chuckling to yourself at your opponent's moves...you're pretty lippy for a fella playing his first game!

Anyway...well done

what else do you call one last check before resigning? 25m of sitting around not doing anything and noticing people around me seems reasonable enough and being nervously excited and flashing an emotional grin during a game doesnt seem lippy to me =S