I would like to know the thoughts of you stronger players out there on this game (I play black) as in things I did well on and things I didn't and as to how I lost. You'lI note I never castled this game because it didn't seem safe to do so at the time although looking at it now probably queenside castle maybe?
Thoughts on this game?
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JSB53
Nov 21, 2015
0
#1
Nov 23, 2015
0
#2
Good game.
You obviously know the French. It went ok for the first six moves or so. White’s a4 is a little unusual though. After 9. Bb5 I wondered why you did not play the obvious Bd7. Just develop another piece to an obvious square. Nf5 is premature when the knight on c6 is pinned. However, white let you off the hook a little by not just playing g4 and forcing the knight back.
Of course, you could play 12. … Nxe5 which is a motif I often use with positions arising from the French.
I thought you were winning after about 15 moves courtesy of white giving up the a pawn earlier. But maybe 15. … O-O was the time to castle?
Why play 17. … Rf8 when 17. … O-O achieves the same and gets your king safe? It is like you have an aversion to castling. If you castle and then play f6 (a classic move in the French) you have a solid game.
I was surprised white did not play 24. Qh6. But even so, you are still ahead despite the vulnerability of your king.
You then play a series of inaccurate moves. I think 25. … Kd7 was probably an error. I would play Ke7 so that I could meet Qg7 with Rf7.
- … Qd8 would probably be better than 27. … Rf7. After 27. … Rf7 there is a draw with 28. Nxf6+ Ke7 29. Ng8+ Ke8 30. Nf6+
And 32. … Qd6 just about holds white out whereas Ke7 starts to lose it.
You played ok. But I think if you had played 17. ... O-O rather than 17. ... Rf8 the result might have been different. Definitely not castling cost you.
White gave a clear message at with his 19th move, as e6 was your main weakness in the middlegame. While 27...Rf7 seems decent, it gave White too many chances, perhaps 27...Rc7 instead? Playing the French, I agree that Bd7 early on the 9.. Bb5 makes sense, similar to MacCutcheon variation. I think it would have been chaotic to play, but 0-0-0 seems to work since Black has a lot of pieces over there and White has to balance attacking with defense since you are playing opposite side castling. First 6 moves were solid. Nice game either way.
ElNegroCorazon wrote:
White gave a clear message at with his 19th move,
... 11 years ago.
