I think black's position actually gets better after 11. Nxc6. You could have been in some real trouble if he played the attack better. 16. ...c5 is probably better than ...h5.
My Weapon of Choice: The Ruy Lopez (Pt. 2)
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I think you should have played 7.Bxc6 instead of 7.c3. You would still be up a pawn and black wouldn't really have an attack. If he plays something like 8...Bd6, then after 9.Nf3 you're threatening 10.e5 forcing black to lose time by moving his bishop back to e7.
Usually in a Ruy Lopez, c3 is played to open up a square for the bishop and to support a d4 advance, but since you didn't do either one, playing c3 looks kind of meaningless.
As far as 11.Nxc6, I definitely can't tell you if it was a Master-level move, but 11.d4 looks pretty good to me.
Good game!
NM Reb
Thanks for the insight. Such an easy 2-move combo =/ I think I get caught up the the positional battle of the Closed Ruy Lopez that I don't see stuff like that in the opening sometimes.
Bulla,
Your insight about 7. Bxc6! is on par with the (National) Master. LOL! I was so proud of my 8. exd5 that I didn't even see that the e-pawn was already hanging.
And yeah, I'm really not sure if pawn grabbing with 11. Nxc6!? is the right move. I figured that if I'm up two pawns, then all I have to do is make it to the endgame intact and I'll auto win, so I was willing to take the brunt of the coming attack. But yeah moral of the story is spot the tactic on the 7th move and save myself the hassle. Thanks.
slack,
Yeah I think Black's position favors players who like to attack. Being up two pawns and facing that kind of strong attack made me feel like I was playing a Reversed Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit or like a Reversed Danish Gambit or something.
I haven't analyzed the lines, but is White that bad after 16. ... c5 17. N4f3 (or some type of similar move)?
Would it have just been better to play 11. d4 as Bulla suggested, keeping Black's pawns doubled, as well as the h1-a8 diagonal closed off, and still being up a pawn? What would you recommend in the position?
Okay this is another game feature the Spanish Opening. Rather than playing the usual Little ChessParter (Strength: Hard), this is an OTB game played at one of my local chess clubs with a member who also plays here with an Online Chess rating of close to 1900.
Black chooses the ultra-solid and popular Morphy Defense (3. ... a6) and then shifts the game into pseudo-Berlin Defense territory with 4. ... Nf6. Notably, on the 8th move, I decided to play 8. exd5 both to open up the game, and because I had a hunch my opponent was likely to recapture with his Knight, and so allowing me to win a pawn.
I had a little mini-debate with myself after 10. ... Bd6. Black leaves another pawn hanging, but taking a second pawn would cost me tempo and allow Black to get some sort of attack going. I decided that the Master-level move would probably be to play 11. Nxc6 both winning a pawn and gaining some tempo by threatening Black's Queen.
Black does indeed unleash a long series of attacks with the Bishop pair raking my castled position, and I'm forced to defend with my slower and sometimes clunky Knights. But after the Queen trade, the Knights are able to hold the position until the final move.
So my question here to the forums is, "Was White correct in playing 11. Nxc6? Was this the Master-level move?" I obviously know its not a blunder or anything, but is it a slight accuracy/is there a stronger move? And as always, if you see any inaccuracies/blunders in my game, please do point them out. Your feedback is always appreciated.