00011.4.18 Analyzed by National Master Corey Russell

1. h4 Nf6

Good. You get your knight into the game, and help control

the center. When getting your pieces out, develop toward

the center (the squares e4, d4, e5, d5 are known as the center).

2. Rh3

?! Extremely dubious. The rook is vulnerable to attack,

this move does not control the center, and this weakens

white's kingside. Pawn to d4 makes more sense.

2... h5

Much stronger is 2 ... d5. This gets a foothold in the

center, opens up a line for your bishop on c8, and to boot

forces white to move one of his pieces again, since the

Rook on h3 is threatened by black's bishop. Notice too,

that now the g5 square is open for white's pieces, since

now your h-pawn can't cover it.

3. e3 d5 4. Bb5+ c6 5. Ba4 b5 6. Bb3 Qd6

Since a rook is worth more than a bishop (rook = 5 pawns,

bishop = 3 pawns), better is to take the free material

with ...Bxh3. Believe it or not, among masters, the

difference of having a rook instead of a bishop is winning.

7. Nc3 a5 8. Nf3 a4

Instead, of ...Bxh3 9.gxh3 a4! would leave black up a rook!

If you see a good move, stop: there might be an even better move.

9. Rg3 axb3 10. cxb3 Bf5 11. Rg5 Rh6

This overlooks white's threat. A handy thing to remember is:

why did my opponent make that move? You probably would've

seen that he was threatening your bishop.

12. Rxf5 Rg6 13. Ne5 Qe6

There's a principle in chess that says, "Avoid moving queens

early". This is no exception. In addition, White's knight

was threatening to capture black's rook. Why not win a pawn

and get your rook out of jeapardy with ...Rxg2?

14. e4 Rxg2 15. Ne2 dxe4

...Nxe4 wins immediately. Black would be threatening white's

Rook, Knight, and once white's rook moves, even ...Nxf2 is

in the air.

16. Nd4 Qd5

This was good retort on your part. You save your queen,

and stay in the center. As it happens, black can win a

knight by playing 16. ... Rg1+ 17. Ke2 (forced) Rxd1

18 Nxe6 fxe6 19. Kxd1 exf5. You'll start seeing these

combinations with practice.

17. Nexc6 Qd6

17. ... Qxf5! 18. Nxf5 Rg1+ still wins material for black.

Work it out.

18. a4 Qh2

Good infiltration! This move takes advantage of white's

exposed king position.

19. Rxb5 Rxf2 20. Rxb8+ Rxb8 21. Nxb8 Qg1#

So in conclusion, develop toward the center, with attack if

possible, and especially look at forcing moves minimize missing

combinations.

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