Where did this game go wrong?

Evening! A couple of days ago I have played this game against a fellow club member and I eventually got tricked and had to lose a piece. I'm wondering where exactly I blundered and what should have been the correct move? Or is anyone else maybe able to analyze the game better than me? Thanks in advance :3

hi! i don't consider myself very good in chess, but i also want to test my idea regarding your game. I am thinking if you really did sidestep the standard line of King's Indian Defense of 4.) e4?

Because the way i see it, the problem started with that since instead of trying to limit the maneuvarable space of black you gave him a more comfortable position. Also the move eats time when you go and challenge the d5 square which you should have done after 9.) Re1.

10.) Qc2 seems passive which Black seized by moving the pawn to e4. 

Fighting for the e4 square after the pawn push in my view, and subsequent further exchange of pieces, leaves White with a slight advantage...  

Hi Peecy

I think your first weak move was 4.e3 - You block out your black-squared bishop and allow black to gain space in the centre with the e-pawn. To fight the KID means to fight for control of the central squares - 4.e4 and than e.g. f3 is a strong set-up (4.e4 with h3 and Nf3 is also good).

Next dubious move was 11.Qc2 allowing e4 - you should have played immediately 11.e4 to get out the dark-squared bishop and to gain more control in the centre. and Qc2 later.

The next move I don´t like was 11.Ng5. You never can win the e-pawn and therefore the knight is ill placed. After h6 it has to go back to h3 - where black can exchange it and deteriorate the king-site pawn structure.

BTW: why put a ?! at 5. .. d6 - this is a standard set-up in the KID.

Maybe you should spent some time with the theory of the Kings Indian defense. You save yourself a lot of headache

In general, some of your thinking could use adjusting. Here's what stood out to me:

• 4. e3.   The whole point in playing c4 and Nc3 was to prepare e4.  c4 is played first to dissuade ...d5.  When your opponent is giving you free space in the opening, you have to take it!
• You list Nf3 as losing immediately, but it only loses the exchange.  Losing the exchange is much better than sacrificing your N for a pawn.  15. Nf3 Ne4 16. Nxe4 Bxa1 17. Ng3 (preparing Nf1 and Nd2 blockading the passed pawn)
• There's no overall plan in your play: just one-move attacks and disjointed ideas.  For example, why did you exchange on e5?  Simple reasons could have been: you intended to play e4 right afterwards so black's dark square bishop didn't have the long diagonal available.  Also, you can couple that with a build-up of major pieces on the d-file (since black has to move his N before he can start to do the same).  Your follow-up of Qc2 and Re1 didn't accomplish anything: you could have already played e4 for several moves.  ETc.

I agree with everyone about the 4.e3 being off, but couldnt you have just played 13. rook to d1, then manouvered after, and you  would have been fine because of the pin on the queen and could have taked it with the bishop if u wanted after

You are right

13.Rd1 is surely better than 13.Bxd3 but Black is still better after either 13. Rd1 Qe7 or 13. Rd1 Bf5