Kc6 is better. After Kc7 Bxg4 Black has to lose a tempo to avoid the knight fork.

I've been starting to wonder what the best course of action is myself I've been play e6 though lately been thinking maybe its better to get the queen away from danger first. Qd6 doesn't quite do that either.

The best courses of action. after 8...Kc6 9.Bxg4 >>> 9.....Qe8 about the best move to make avoids the fork and starts the waiting game. waiting for white to starts developing pieces. then you get the chance to get your own pieces into the action once you have done that blacks prospects become good.. The black king usually ends up on a7 >>> 9....g6 also a good move to make. the bishop can move to g7 and the long diagonal will be very helpful in your defense.. Trading of the minor pieces as fast as possible is advisable >>>> 9....e6 A move that usually confuses white why give the pawn away ? it must be a trick!! so usually they go for the Q N fork and that is what you actually want white to do.. In my opinion the best move if you know what you are doing.. all 3 moves are good, Qe8 - Passive/positional e6 - cunning/strategic g6 - active/aggressive there is more to it ( for you to figure out)

what makes the Q N fork dangerous for White? I guess Black would have to move the queen, but where?

g6 is a weakness white can exploit with Ne6 b3 Bb2 later but it may not be fast enough here. Na3 dxe4 white now has a great pawn center Nb4 Na3 defends the fork. I feel exd3 is best.

Perhaps Na3 or g6 were better i think you mean Na6 there Na6 is good > protective and clearing the base line Kb6 is good > later to hide on a7 Qd4 is good > aggressive and usually triggers the knight resulting in something like this Qd4 Nf7 exd3 Nxh8 after that you have time for other things like Kb6 or Na6 ( any move from the h8 night gives you a tempo)

This holds a very nasty threat: 13.Bxc5!! Black parries with a knight move.

11...Kb6 was not so good and triggers the Be3 move a other white piece becoming active. much better was to consider 11....e6 And if you look carefully it minimizes the upcoming fork damage from 12.Nf7 you will just respond with 12...Qe7 you will then most likely get a move like 13.Bf3+ And then you move 13....Kb6 ( 2 moves later but what a different game for black( do you see it"??)) " you can consider 11...Kb6 the move that cost you the game..

Take a look at Qc6 or Qb8 I'd prefer Qb8 because of Ne5 attacking the queen but Qc6 might save your rook. It's very hard to find a good square for the queen which is white's idea in this opening.

13....Qb8 was the best move to make i would have made that move myself. But if you would have made the move Qb8 my next move would have been 14.0-0 the rook is tempting to capture but it is to soon. white needs his pieces to keep black on the run/defence and behind his own lines. 13... Qc6 will result in a direct pin from me with Bf3 keeping the queen on the run and only 1 misstep needed and the curtain falls for black..

Freddy's pieces look ready for a brawl. I don't see any good way out of this.

You know you are in deep ... trouble ... when your opponent doesn't even bother with a K/Q fork (19.Nc3+).

Joanne, I thought your defence in the first game much stronger over all.