Steep Learning Curve!

Well, this is my fifth year playing chess, and I know a lot more than when I started (heck, when I first started, I didn't know how the pieces moved). With that said, I still don't know how to turn my overall record around so I mostly win. I also tried reading an article re: Alekhine and got lost:

Good players go, "Wow, here's what Alekhine did..." I go, "Um, why did Alekhine forfeit his chance to castle?" One answer is that he was a GM and almost infinitely better than I am at chess, but that's not the real answer. Chess is still more fun than any board game I've ever played, but it's got a steep learning curve, at least for me.

Question 1: What's up with Alekhine here?

Question 2: How can you tell if you're "intermediate"?

Question 3: Anyone else feel this way? :D

Well, if he doesn't block with the queen, he loses the b pawn, and once the queens are off the board his king isn't in too much danger; better than retreating a knight to block and losing a pawn, I reckon.