"A day of two halves!" You're no relation to our erstwhile All Black captain, Sean Fitzpatrick are you??  

the opening stopped after black's first move. It appears to be the Queen's pawn Lundin Defence.

Why is this trade good for White? I guess White really has to follow up with it, as the bishop's retreat after 5...a6 would look a little silly, maybe. But also, Black's not having yet played a pawn to e5 is a bit awkward for him now that pawns are doubled on the c-file. For instance, after 7.0-0, e5 is not playable.

I agree that e5 may not have been the best move out of the bunch. Re1 and Bf4 taking more control over e5. Look a bit stronger. Interesting though that black doesn't seem to have the option of dxe5 due to the weakness of the doubled c-pawns. dxe5 dxe5 Nd5 makes for an imbalanced game which favors white.

A little premature, maybe. It's the sort of move you would start thinking about now, but you would be looking for the right moment to play it. Preferable does seem 8.Re1 or 8.Bg5 - you know, completing one's development.

And note where Black's b-pawn has fetched up. Already I rather like Black's game, here.

Bf4 may also come into consideration.

... or Bg5. I'd probably play 10.Re1 myself.

I like blacks take back of the d6 pawn develops the queen and leaves the strong option of c5 allowing black to take a powerful pawn center.

Now Black can establish a powerful majority in the centre. A central pawn majority is a fine thing to have, I'll tell you what.

Freddy's point is very strong whites mobility is suffering. I might prefer 17... Nb3 over fxe5 if the exchanges occur (Nb3 exd5 Nxd4 Bxd4 cxd4) the isolated pawn won't be such a weakness due to bishop of opposite color, this game would likely end in a draw. Though the position shown looks to favor black he should be able to get his pawns down the board making the piece for pawn sacrifice necessary.

"Beware of the Pawn Centre", forsooth! It's like saying "Beware of that red-eyed, white-fanged pit-bull terrier breathing dog breath into your face". It kinda imposes itself onto the consciousness.

I think Nb3 to Nc5 would be more active and precise. Though that is completely opinionated. Freddy's h5! is a very good restraining move.

Call this knight Goldfarb: he went the wrong way. The thing doesn't have much future this way. I think better was 19.Nb3, where it has more influence upon the centre.

e pawn looks awkward. Interesting though it also seems to be a strength. White must undermine this pawn before it becomes a threat.

Blockade. I have a feeling I wouldn't have played this as Black - at least, not yet. The e-pawn is blockadeable, and I don't much like all those isolated pawns - not that White is in much of a position to exploit same.

As White, I would have preferred to blockade with the knight, mainly because, as played, the knight is left immobilised. Preferable was 23.Bf4 (to keep the rook off the b-file betimes), and then 24.Ne3. Note that the White bishop would be quite well placed on f4, and not easy to shift.

I agree with ionadowman on this one. Blocking with the knight is almost always better and as a rule should be considered first.

I haft to agree with Freddy here. g4 seems to take advantage of black last move Rf5? hxg4? would be continued mistake and lose the e4 pawn. So the rook would haft to move to b5 or f7 or even d5 none of which look to be moves of great interest.

For the cost of a pawn - a doubled one at that, and the result of which Black gets a doubled isolated pawn, the knight would have gained some mobility, and White would have been able to place some pressure at least upon the e-pawn. A completely different plan to obtain freedom might have been 25.Bd4!? with the idea 25...Bxd4 26.cxd4 Rd5 27.Rc1, whereat White is developing threats of her own. If Black tries to drive off the bishop from d4, 25.Bd4 c5 26.Bxg7 Kxg7 27.Ne3 and though fairly passively placed, White is doing OK.

It's clear that Joanne had some kind of plan, here, but it was a plan with a considerable admixture of hope, it seems to me. The knight obtains no more mobility for this K-side sortie, that he had before it. And now White is about to go 2 pawns down, possibly even 3.

Freddy has shown Nh2 to be a mistake here... not to mention g4 is now late in this case the better late than never may not apply. Black looks to have won by this point.

A characteristic comment in losses against Freddy. He seems to excel is depriving us of moves by pressing forward and making multiple threats.

But Freddy did have help in this game (sorry, Joanne). When the knight retired to f1, White had no clear means of remobilising it (and I have to admit, 25.Bd4 is not a move that comes readily to mind). Even in defence, one needs to have well-thought-out plans or ideas about placing pieces, usually with the view to keeping them as mobile and active as may be. Joanne, I think, was aware of this - just chose mistakenly.