Victory in QGA - Computer wants me to take on Isolated D pawn?

So after I achieve my pawn center I noticed that the computer wanted me to push the D pawn rather than the E pawn which would have resulted in an IQP.  It's worth noting that it would have been an IQP on the 6th rank and would have been impossible for the white bishop to attack it IIRC.  To me it made far more sense to advance the E-pawn.  Something else worth noting is that it would have been onerous to fortify the E-pawn with the F pawn is certain circumstances so I guess the computer figured that as part of it's "thinking."  

Any comments on the game are appreciated but I'm specifically curious about why it wants me to advance the D pawn vs. the E pawn.

'He who fears an isolated Queen’s Pawn should give up Chess' - Tarrasch

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when you pushed the e-pawn you made the d-pawn backwards, which is arguably weaker than an iqp. plus the iqp is not always a weakness it can be a strength when the opponent is unable to stop it from pushing forward

This. The downside to an IQP is that another pawn can't protect it. You got the same downside with your backward pawn, but without getting the upside of creating a *passed* pawn.

There's also a concrete reason. After 16 .... d4, white has to do something awkward with their c3 knight. Either it retreats to a2, where it's out of play and dominated, or it retreats to b1 or d1, where it disconnects the rooks and has to spend another tempo rerouting to somewhere useful. While White's rooks are disconnected, you get a head start on fighting for the open files.

In the Queen's Gambit Accepted (QGA), capturing the isolated d-pawn is a common strategic choice for Black. By accepting the gambit and capturing the d-pawn, Black aims to create an isolated pawn on d4 for White. This isolated pawn can become a weakness later in the game, providing Black with long-term positional advantages. However, it's essential to remember that chess positions are dynamic, and the decision to capture the isolated pawn should be based on the specific position on the board and your overall strategic plan. Analyze the position carefully to determine if capturing the isolated pawn aligns with your strategic goals and position assessment.

After you advance d4 and White exchanges, the resulting isolated dPawn is actually very secure. You can easily protect it with two minor pieces, whereas White will need time and rearrangement to match the defence, never mind outnumber it. And that's before the rooks come into play. You cramp White in the centre and will find it easier to establish control over the other three central squares than White will have in disputing them. If you advance the ePawn, d4 becomes a hole that White can control without any especial effort. D4 also can be a route for the knights into your territory.

I don't understand your comment at all, or your question.

However, white played that position wrongly. Firstly I believe it's normal for white to play 4. de, or what's the point of 3. e3, since if you're not going to take on e5 then you're giving black free development and equality?

Also, pushing d4-d5 was completely wrong, since white should develop. Playing d4-d5 creates a weakness which has to be defended. Black's e pawn was still there to be taken, to make it worse.

Oh I see now. You're talking about much later in the game on move 16, where you played e5-e4.

That's a bad move because it achieves nothing and also gives black a permanent weakness ... a bachward d pawn, which has to be defended. You had an extra pawn and in that position you push the d pawn, which is an extra pawn and also strong. It advances with tempo and black's pieces are better organised to take advantage of it. On the other hand, the move e5-e4 clogs up black's game and is a weak move rather than a strong one.

4...Nf6 is slightly suspect (4...exd4 should be preferred), and the most natural move to play is 5.Nf3, as Black dare not take at d4, or push ...e4.

This is how Mamedyarov won a blitz game in just 7 moves against a random guy named Garry Kasparov (under a slightly different initial move order).

Now to your question: 16...e4 is committal. Sure, you are still a pawn up, but the ...Ne5-c4 idea is not really worth releasing control of d4 and creating that backward d5 pawn. White could (and should) take the d5 pawn at move 19, when you would have lost a large portion of your advantage.

You should have kept your strong center intact, when White has severe breating issues (and on top of that, he is also a pawn down.

16...d4 is very good for tactical reasons, but why not inserting some very useful and noncommital moves first like ...Rfd8 and ...Rac8? This way you are bringing all your forces to the battle, and I don't see any reasonable way for white to put some resistance.

White is already slightly worse after 4.dxe5? Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 Nc6, and much worse if he insists with 6.f4? Be6 (or 6...Bg4+) followed by a quick ...0-0-0.

This makes a lot of sense. Thank you very much!

Pushing the e-Pawn to e4 gave your opponent the beautiful square d4 for his Knights.

There is sometimes a way to avoid allowing the enemy Knight into a hole in your formation, but it requires a Pawn sacrifice. You push a Pawn onto the square that is GOING TO become weak, and then, after the opponent captures it with his own Pawn, you bypass it and leave the enemy Pawn stranded on that square... blocking his Knights from using it.

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