I have spent more than 30 minutes analysing my own game, and I've learnt a lot. I think by analysing what you've done, that's one of the best ways to change your gameplay and improve your chess skills.
This is my game, by the way:
Do you have any advice?
I like playing Alekhine's defence to surprise my opponent, because most of my opponents starts with 1.e4
I have an average ELO score of 1680 playing Alekhine's defence, and 1400-1500 playing other openings...
I'm also of the mindset of playing some more offbeat openings to throw off opponents. I went with the Scandinavian, but it does transpose into this game after 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nxd5.
Some general pointers, on move 5 I personally like the move Bg5. It feels nice to get this pin, and it forces white to play a bit strangely with something like Be2. Then you have options on how you want to develop. Without this development, pushing the e pawn twice to attack the knight feels kinda pointless, and it slows the development of your pieces down without a realistic threat. You kinda got away with it as white wasted a tempo too with 6. h3?
After that I like the aggressive play with the pawn until move 18. I don't quite follow the point of 18... Bb4. This is a game where the players are castled on opposite sides. This is usually just a matter of who is getting mated first. I much prefer Bd6! taking control of the one escape square the white king has not on the back rank, with the idea of playing Qe5 or g4 as a followup.
Move 21. Bg3?! is another one I don't like. It looks like you're focusing a lot on this Bf2+ idea, but when you ask yourself what it accomplishes, it's hard to give a reasonable answer. With how far advanced your passed pawn is, the bishop and pawn are at minimum in equal value to the rook. However, black's king is looking light on squares, and the idea of Qe5! focusing on the mate threat on h2 is not the easiest for white to deal with. After say 21... Qe5 22. f5 gxf5, you have this open file with a rook on it right to white's king, AND if that g pawn moves you can simply take it weakening the king further.
23... Qxc4 is very much not in the spirit of how you were playing this game either. You are on the attack, white's king is scared in the corner. Trading queens will only make white's position easier to play, it's what he wants. Knowing this and the mate threat on c7, Qe5 or Qd6 are much better. It would make white feel much more uncomfortable.
29... fxg4 also strikes me as odd. It just seems better to play f5 and get the connected passed pawns rather than have 2 isolated pawns. You can always threated the h3 pawn with Rh6 or Rh8 if you feel the need.
35... Rd2 just hangs your c6 pawn, just playing Rd6 is fine and you should win with the 2 extra pawns.
37... e2?? is the losing move of the game. If you played 37... Bh4+! first white must play Kg1 or Kh1 (Kf1 Rf2+ wins the bishop). So the line would probably follow 37... Bh4+ 38. Kg1 e2 39. Bxe2 (anything else, say 39. a5 e1=Q+ 40. Rxe1 Bxe1 and you're up a rook) Rxe2 and you're up a bishop.
Overall nice game, you were outplaying your opponent for most of it, but you got a bit lazy and missed some tactics in the last few moves.
Indeed analysing your own games is great way to improve your chess.
I didn't like Bxe2, your bishop is much better piece and White is having difficulties to develop without trading. I would kept the bishop on this diagonal to have options to trade for Bf1.
I understand Bb4 is intended to pressure on d2 an force d3 which is not bad, but I think it's better to go directly to attack along h2-a7 diagonal.
You shouldn't allow trading queens, his castle have serious weaknesses to take profit of.
After placing Bf2 you have to plans to win: f4 securing your passed pawn for the ending or go for checkmate along h column. I think you can keep going on both with f4,Bg3, h5, doubling rooks on h column and timely g4.
The game had two key moments around moves 19 and 24 were you can feel Black has winning attack, I would spend quite a lot of time there to decide how to keep playing.
Overall good game!
@dipblu @JimJam1099 Thank you both! You've helped me a lot.
It's interesting to see three different ideas on the move 18: Bb4 from me, Bc5 from
@dipblu and Bd6 from
@JimJam1099.
After my opponent's blunder on 20. f3, his king became deeply vulnerable for an attack, and I think I've failed to exploit it.
I felt the blunder, because I've used 1 whole minute to see how to play, but 21. Bg3 was a mistake. I should have played Qe5, threatening mate. I had 2:30 minutes on the clock on that move, so I think this move could make me win.
@dipblu you're right.
10. Be6 would be way better. His white bishop would be locked in for 2 extra moves and my bishop could be very strong!
@celinofj I was thinking more about 10...Bd3 or 10...Ba6, with the idea of trading on f1. 10...Be6 is not bad but considering your e4 pawn you probably want to play f5 doesn't look the best square.
Before I didn't check move times, ok you did the right thing take your time to assess what to do on the key position. I like 18...Bb4 followed by 19...Bd6
Hi! Sorry na godbless! Pasensya na :)
