Two Knights Defense

Here is a game where I blew it big time, wasn't to sure where I went wrong but my biggest dissapointment was willingly trading queens, heading for an endgame right after I knocked his king out of his pocket making sure he couldn't castle. I feel as if I had an upper hand and I let it slip with careless trades. Any comments would be nice, espescially those familiar with the Two knights defense, one of my favorites playing as white. Most people I play go straight for the d pawn and 6.Nxf7 has to be my favorite line.

tonydal wrote: There are several possibilities I like on your 23rd move.  One is 23 Ne7+ Ke6 24 Nxc8 Bxe3 25 Bxe3 Nd7 26 Na7--not sure whether the knight can get on, but it probably can, and if not, you can spend probably spend the time profitably, picking off a pawn on two.  Cleaner though is 23 Rh3.  And best of all looks to be 23 f4.  Definitely the more you can open up on that far-flung king, the scarier his position is going to be.

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 Heh. The biggest problem I have is thinking I have an advantage. I start to lose sight of the bigger picture and just start picking apart things real fast without thinking of any kinds of concequences. I didn't even see 23.Ne7+, thanks for pointing it out. You should see me playing OTB games. I will constantly be lost in attack and start to lose sight of possibilities, taking the first thing I see. In this game I also think I was kind of intimidated by his rating, that and he has already beat me a couple of times in live chess.

 

It's official, my game was ugly here. My endgame needs some real work.  

I never would have given up your 2nd knight for the pawn in front of your opponent's rook.  Later, you backed your black bishop into a corner where it was lost...

I think you are absolutely right in observing that 9.Qxf6 made things too easy for your opponent. Especially his knight developed into a powerful piece causing much disruption in your camp. As this would certainly be the case if you just moved your queen away from f3 on move 9, I suggest you forget everything you might have heard about the bishop pair and just hack it off with 9.Bxc6, as speedy development certainly outrules other positional factors here. In case of 9...bxc6 10.Qe2 your opponent has all kinds of ugly things coming his way in shape of f2-f4 (after 0-0, of course) or d2-d4 or Nc3-d5 (or Nc3-e4). After 9...Qxc6 you may perhaps stir things up with 10.Qh5+, but I believe this time entering the ending with 10.Qxc6 bxc6 is much more favourable for you: His unsafe king, ruined pawn structure and your extra pawn will probably more than outbalance his bishop pair, although admittedly you still need some technique. Mark that by trading queens this way you haven't helped him to reinforce his e5 pawn, which makes it an easier target, and e4 an "etermal" square for your knight, because it can't be kicked away from there.

Wrote big "disappeared" comment basically agreeing with Torkil, and adding the following tweeks:

 

12)Ne2 BxBb3

13)NxNd4 and you are clear of immediate problems

Back to main line:

13)cxBb3 is much better, as your pawns remain more solid and there is no purpose to getting your rook out.

 

15)Nd5 was a missed opportunity, as he in threatening no more than kicking your rook to h5

 

You should have also considered 12)BxBe6 Nxc2+ 13)Kd1 NxRa1 and you can almost certainly capture his knight before it can be rescued.

 

.........*you blew your chance of winning by trading queens