yes, I won, but what should I change in my game to get better?

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Avatar of thesexyknight

I haven't lost in a while (since I started taking more than a few seconds with my moves) so I've had to start looking at my wins for inspiration for improvement, This is my most recent one. Any ideas would be much appreciated because I recognize I made a few whoopsies in the opening that my opponent failed to take advantage of...

 

 

Avatar of orangehonda
thesexyknight wrote:I recognize I made a few whoopsies in the opening that my opponent failed to take advantage of...

Really?  I didn't see any Smile let me know where white screwed up.

The moves of white's that made me scratch my head were 16. Ne5 , 21.Nc6 and 22. Qa4

Move 16, if the knight needed to go anywhere it was probably d4, but it's doing well on f3 really, time to start pressing your advantage home by getting everything into the game.  Why not Qd3 or Qc2 with Rfd1.

21.Nc6 blocks off your beautiful c file Smile yes white is up a rook and can do whatever he wants, but you didn't really want to take time out to win the measly a pawn did you?

Move 22 black doesn't have any useful discoveries with the bishop, in fact it was pinned because if it moves anywhere but d7 you have a mate, so might as well play Nxa7 or perhaps Rfd1 this time pinning the bishop for real because after Bd7 Rxd7 Rxe5 you have Ne7+ with mate next move. (edit, ok not next move but coming up).

It's hard to criticise safe winning moves when you're ahead so much material though, white played a good game.

Oh, also instead of 32.f4+ white can mate with Qh4.

Avatar of orangehonda

Oh and I didn't answer the question... what should you change in your game to get better.  The number one thing I'd say is the quality of your opponents. 

Before your opponent drops:

10...c5 some pawns
11...Ndxc5 the exchange (wrong knight to re-cap with)
16...Qg5 a piece
23...Qf6 another piece

He plays 6...Bxc3? which is just totally positionally backwards.  It's a true blunder that deserves a ? -- To be honest after a move like that, even so early in the game, I would fully expect to score the full point as long as I didn't blunder back.

Even if you try hard every move it will be hard to keep the quality of your moves up against opponents who are unable to punish your mistakes much less who hemorrhage material.