Please Analyze

I felt this game as being one of my best. Someone please analyze.

Jacob_W

Very nice ending to the game.

6. ... h6 is a slight inaccuracy, but since it does nothing to immediately harm Black's position, it's not the worst move. It cuts the immediate scope of your Kingside Knight and dark Bishop. It could have something to do with the "Cozio Defense" he chose. I know of only one of my friends who tries to play the Cozio from time to time, so I don't have a lot of experience with this particular defense to the Spanish Game.

7. ... d6 8. d3 and it looks like both of you are playing rather passively, allowing each other to develop, and holding off the attack until later in the game. This is not characteristic of the Ruy Lopez and of 1. e4 openings in general. From this point on, it makes me feel like I'm watching a Queen's Gambit Declined with both of you now forced to develop calmly and then slowly regroup your pieces on the board. Now 6. ... h6 doesn't look like such a bad move!

9. ... Rb8? I think you're right. This move makes no sense and is just wasting tempo. It's like your opponent just feels obligated to make a move and he does so. There needs to be some challenge to your Knight outpost, like 9. ... Nce7 or 9. ... Be6 or something. This starts a series of positional mistakes by your opponent, i.e. bad recapture of Nxe7, retreating Queenside Knight to bad square when he had other options, etc. 

There was a blunder on 21. Bc2? that costs White a pawn, which your opponent did see. But it's not such a big mistake at this Class-C/Class-D level. Black is still left with an awkward position and some bad piece coordination due to his faulty middle game play, but is winning slightly after he is up a pawn. 21. Be2 would prevent Black from taking the pawn.

But of course, Black goes on to slowly weakening his position even further, so that his extra pawn really doesn't matter. As you commented, the best part of the game, by far, is the game-winning tactical shot. Nice job.

Thank you very much for your comments Brandon. I was thinking no one would even bother talking about the game as much as you did. I appreciate and will consider every comment and use them in future games.

Thank you again Brandon. I just played the same guy again, but instead of d3, I played d4 and beat him in less than 20 moves.

Very nice game Jacob

Any improvements by Brandon I have left out

Book moves in brackets

13.h3 would be better than [13.d5] because it prevents the pin on the kings knight, and pushing the d pawn limits the scope of your bishop.

After [13.d5], black should have responded 13...Na5 14.Bc2 f5! and he has the advantage.

[15...Kh7] wastes time, 15...f5 needs to be played.

[16...f5] finally

18...e4 19.Ne1 Ne5! 

White has a big hole on d3.  Also, the Ne5 attacks the c pawn bringing the other knight back into the game.

19...e4 20.Ne1 Ne5!  

[19...Nh4] leaves both black knights on the edge of the board.  White's bishops are making a bigger impact, as black will be playing virtually a piece down with his inactive knight.

[27.Rc4!!]

Great move!  This rook file gains time on the queen to increase the pressure on black's kingside.  The defenders for black are noticably silent here.

[27...Qd7??]

This move puts black in a losing position.  He had to prevent Rh4

The only move I see is 27...e4!.  This pawn sacrifice prevents white's rook manuver with a gain of time.  Even so, black is struggling positionally.

[28.Rh4! h5]

maybe 28...g5 might improve for black

[29.g4!  Rxf3??]

This move allows white to mate

[33.Qe6+]

White had an even prettier way to win

33.Rh8+!! and it is mate in 5

That really helps a lot. Thank you Conquiscador.