00025.5.10 Analyzed by National Master Corey Russell

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Be7 4. h4

This is definitely not the best move. 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8

6. Nxe5 wins a pawn with a great game for white. Among masters,

this is usually winning. The text move, however, doesn't develop

a piece, weakens white's kingside, and even concedes the g4

square to black. I honestly can't see how this helps white.

Piece development is critical...generally white would want to

get his bishop out, his queen knight out, castle short, and

basically get all white's pieces into the center to try to

overwhelm black.

4... Bg4 5. Be2

Unnecessarily passive. More promising is 5. dxe5 Bxf3 (forced)

6. Qxf3 dxe5 7. Bc4 Nf6 8. Be3 with a reasonable game for white.

5... Bxf3 6. Bxf3 Bxh4 7. g3 Bf6 8. dxe5 Bxe5 9. Bf4

Definitely a mistake. This hangs the pawn on b2 for no

compensation. 9. Nd2!, however is more active, and can help

drive away black's bishop with Nc4.

9... Nc6 10. Rh5

This entire rook maneuver should not work...it's too vulnerable

to attack by black's pieces. Instead, the best white may have

at this point is c3, to defend against the threat of ...Bxb2,

plus deny the central d4 square for the black pieces.

10... Nf6 11. Rh4 Bxb2 12. Nd2 Bxa1 13. Qxa1 Nb4 14. Qb2 a5

15. e5

This does not work out at all, because this opens up the center

when white's king is still uncastled, plus gives the d5 square

to use for black's pieces. At this point, white probably had

to console himself with 15. a3 Nc6 16 Qxb7, though black is

certainly still better.

15... dxe5 16. Bxe5 O-O 17. Rh5

This hangs the rook (17. ... Nxh5 18. Bxh5 Qg5), but white's

position is very difficult in any case. White cannot castle,

and the center's wide open, chances look bleak that white can

repair his position.

17... Re8 18. Rg5 Ra6

This is an excellent defensive move, as well as prepares

for active operations on b6 or e6.

19. Ne4 Nbd5 20. Be2 Rb6 21. Bb5

Stepping into pins (now the rook on b6 pins the bishop on b5)

is rarely good, and this is no exception. Black could have

played 21 ... c6 and pretty much have forced white to resign.

Notice that 22. Nxf6+ Nxf6 doesn't go anywhere, since the bishop

on e5 would then be pinned.

21... Re7 22. Nxf6+ Nxf6 23. Kf1 Qd1+ 24. Kg2 Qd5+ 25. Kh3

This hastens the end, but there was no way for white to hold

onto the position in any case.

25... Qh1#

I know you say you play non-competitively, but actually

playing better players is THE way to get better quickly.

Failing that, you could check out some chess books out of

the local library, but books can only teach so much. There's

no substitute for experience.

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