tonight's game

At the Brisbane Chess Club tonight I played an interesting game. I had some positions which were hard to evaluate -- I didn't have much development but the computer assesses the positions as better for me.

Arash - me.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 e6 5. c5



Now that sort of move just looks bad. I looked for a way to punish him immediately.

5... b6 6. b4 h6 7. Bf4 Nbd7 8. Nf3 Nh5



I was still trying to punish him for 5. c5 and couldn't see a better way to do it. I wanted either to win a pawn on c5 or gain control over e5. Perhaps I should have played 7... Nh5.


9. Be5 f6 10. Qd3



I started to wonder if I'd missed something and thought about playing 10... Kf7 or 10... Qe7.


10... Nxe5 11. dxe5



I thought about playing 11... Nf4 too but I wasn't sure that I would gain anything from it so decided to block the b1-h7 diagonal. I have crap development, 1 badly developed piece compared to his 3 pieces in the centre, plus I have a weak kingside. But computers seem to think I'm better here.

11... f5 12. g4?



Whoa, did I miss something? I mean he is supposedly rated 1750.

12... Nf4 13. Qd4 fxg4 14. Qxf4 gxf3 15. Qxf3 Qg5 16. cxb6



Apparently not.

I should have played 16... Bxb4, not fearing 17. Rb1 c5, because after 16... Qxe5 he can play 17. b7 blocking things a bit.

16... Qxe5 17. a3 axb6 18. e3?? Bxb4? 0-1