[Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2010.04.14"] [White "law8284"] [Black "Patzer1"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C20"] [WhiteElo "1321"] [BlackElo "1775"] [Annotator "Patzer1"] [PlyCount "46"] {C20: 1 e4 e5: Unusual White second moves} 1. e4 e5 2. b3 {Not sure what this move was supposed to accomplish.  Not a standard opening.  Make sure every move you make has a purpose.  He may have been making room for his bishop to emerge?} Nf6 {Threatening e4} 3. d3 {Defending e4} d5 {Attacking e4 again. Two attacks could win this pawn.} 4. Bg5 {Pins my knight.  Now I can’t take the pawn on e4 because I can’t move my knight (or I’ll lose my queen to his bishop).} dxe4 {I figure I’ll exchange these pawns.  If he recaptures dxe4, I’ll take his Queen with mine (Qxd1).  He’d have to recapture my queen with his king.  Moving your king prevents it from castling in the future, leaving it vulnerable.} 5. Bxf6 {He’d rather exchange knight for bishop.  This gives me a slight advantage.  I have the "bishop pair" (having both bishops means they can work together).  It also opens up a file for my kingside rook.} gxf6 6. h3 Bb4+ {Puts white in check, but I’m not sure what I was thinking here. Putting the opponent in check is only worthwhile if it’s difficult for him to escape.  I just hung my bishop (left it undefended) and almost trapped it.} 7. c3 Ba5 8. b4 Bb6 {My bishop is on the run, and white has regained a lot of space.  It was dumb to go after a check for no reason.} 9. a4 Bf5 {A better move was probably a5, giving my bishop a path to escape.  If he moves a5, my bishop is kind of stuck.} 10. d4 {Not sure what he was thinking here.  exd4 "undoubles" my pawns, so they’re back to a protective line again.} exd4 11. a5 {Bishop is now trapped.} Bxa5 12. Rxa5 Be6 {Moves my bishop to safety.} 13. cxd4 Nc6 {Two attacks on d4.  I’d love to capture it with my queen.} 14. Bb5 { Pins my knight to my king.} Qe7 {Now I’m looking to Qxb4, forking the king and rook.} 15. d5 {He thinks this is an effective fork (pawn attacking bishop and knight).  A castle will get me out of this jam...} O-O-O {Now my rook pins his pawn, so it can’t attack my bishop or knight.  If it did, he’d lose his queen to my rook.} 16. Bxc6 {He looks to exchange knight for bishop.  Not sure why. I’m the one who is cramped, so exchanges tend to be favorable for me.  He may have just thought that his rook was threatened after my castle, and wanted to protect it.  I have other plans, though....} Qxb4+ (16... bxc6 $2 {looks tempting, but} 17. Qa4 Bxd5 18. Nc3 $18) 17. Qd2 {He threatens my queen and protects both his queen and rook, but leaves his knight defenseless.  Oops!} Qxb1+ 18. Ke2 bxc6 {NOW I take bishop.  I’m up 3 pawns now, with my rook pointing at his queen, and my queen eyeing his king.  At this point I have the decisive advantage.} 19. Rxa7 (19. Qa2 {wouldn’t do it for him:} Qd3+ 20. Ke1 Bxd5 $19) 19... Qb5+ (19... Rxd5 $142 {would have been an even better move:} 20. Ra8+ Kb7 $19 {and he has to chose between losing a rook or losing a queen.} ) 20. Ke1 Rxd5 21. Qf4 {He’s looking for me to make a mistake.  He wants to move Qxc7 # (checkmate).  Too bad for him I see a mate in 3-4 moves.} Qb1+ 22. Ke2 (22. Qc1 {wouldn’t save him after} Qxc1+ 23. Ke2 Qd2+ 24. Kf1 Qd1#) 22... Qd3+ 23. Ke1 {Forced.} Qd1# {...and mate.  His biggest weakness was his inability to castle.  That left his king vulnerable to my attacks while he was trying to break down my king’s defenses.} 0-1