I have a problem with white playing d4 here. Although it is tactically fine, it goes against the spirit of White's previous moves. 3. Nf3 was better. If you start out hyper-modern, you need to continue hyper-modern. Don't mix up your strategies; it nearly always gets you into trouble. When White confronts the center, she needs to do it without her pieces stumbling over each other. Harmony plus mobility usually equals activity. Establishing the classical type center while trying a hyper-modern approach at the same time is a recipe for lack of harmony between pieces. Lack of activity for your pieces is a sure recipe to lose (at least against anybody strong).

White accentuates her lack of harmony problem by playing this move. The knight on c3 blocks a potential lever with the move c2-c4. White needed that lever to confront Black's now strong center, which is now forcing the white bishop to 'bite on granite'. However, all is not lost at this point. 4. Nc3 does support a possible lever using e2-e4; but c2-c4 would have been better. That's just a good reason to have picked 4. Nd2 instead. Frankly, the best move would have likely been 4. Nf3.

The way things are looking, White's future operations will be conducted on the Q-wing. To that end, though, the c3-knight looks misplaced (to me). My own experience with this kind of opening seems to indicate that Nc3 (ahead of the c-pawn) doesn't go very well with the K-side fianchetto. Maybe others will take a different view...?

I was thinking the same thing. Ne2 is also slightly questionable, it can go to f4 later though so I guess it has some merit.

4. ...Bf5 was an absolutely beautiful move by black!!! It accentuates all the weaknesses that White has created herself. It also directly confronts a possible lever by white using the e2-e4 push. As far as 5. e3 is concerned, that's another error. 5. f3 would be much stronger, supporting the e2-e4 push. But even that has it's own draw backs; the white bishop would have been blocked by White's own pieces. This is truly a mess for white. **** Again, 5. Nf3 was probably best, or at least a close second as it would have allowed a castle. **** I don't have any problems with White's sixth move. Nge2 at that point, it was probably best. Most of the lack of harmony damage has been done. Black simply needs to capitalize upon it.

Maybe this ought to wait a move or two...

Well at least it is principled regarding the previous play   I must say that I like Black here although this should still be equal.

6. ... e6 was way too passive for black. e5 was much stronger. **** 7. f3 The timing of this move is off in that it was not done sooner. White's e4 push is a good plan, but she has wasted precious time executing it.

Which was a mistake. 7...Bd6?! allows White to play e4 with direct threat of e5 fork, so this was the correct plan. Now Black strikes first.

I agree that 7. ... Bd6 is a mistake. If White played 8. e4, then she would have had the advantage in this game. This was a significant missed opportunity for white. heinzkat has admitted he was making silly moves, so.... He gave White a couple of opportunities to play e4, but she didn't make the move.

Well consider White's pawns   now they have little purpose and look kind of  

I wondered about that! White probably ought to have taken on e5 rather than go at once onto the defensive.

10. e4 was still White's best move, although Black has the advantage. **** Again, 11. e4 was White's best move. ...now I know that heinzkat was holding back, because of this series of silly moves.

I would have tried to cancel black knights with white bishops (though I have no idea how to do that in the present situation ) before closing the center, though I don't know if it will turn out to be any better.

Either way, that is a very sorry-looking bishop on f2. Exchanging might have left you, depending on how Black chose to recapture, with a backward pawn on the half-open e-file. So locking the centre like this is certainly comprehensible!

I have to disagree. Now White doesn't have even 1 piece that does anything active or has any perspective. Pretty sad looking bunch   After 13.fe4 and mass exchanges of light pieces White will have a backward pawn, but a well protected one - and a file to play on (f file).

here black has got better knights, it is absolutely necessary to restrict them. I like this move. and in long term Kh1 --> Ng1 ---> Bh3 to trade white bishops and prepare knight for the square g5

If I was Black I would try to attack the kingside (h5, Ng4, Nd7-f8-g6 or Nd7-f6). This looks counter-intuitive because White pieces are "massed" there, but it seems to me that queenside play will help White to reorganize.

15.h4 would I think be much too weakening of the light squares. Black has a strong initiative here. White might well have considered h3 desirable, with a view to a possible g4 at some convenient moment. It is very difficult now to find any kind of plan for White. 15.Re1, as played, makes as much sense as anything...

ou uh black has a devious plan, looking at the rigidity of the whites king side action needed immidiately I suggest h4 ionadowman but 15. h3 will be met by 15 ... Bxh3 . and 15h4 is not much of a weakening since the g5 square is well protected. and after knight moves to g1 then it will not be a problem to take care of the white squares. me thinks.

The big question is the purpose of previous 13...Nb6. If only point was to play 14...Qd7, then I like 13...Nf8 more - the Knight should be more useful on the kingside anyway.

Having played the Q to c1, White might as well have left it there and played 17.Bh1 defying Black to do something on the light squares. Actually, it might have been preferable to have played it the previous move in preference to himu's Kh1. True, White is horribly cramped, but Black has the problem of breaking in.

Kh1 in place of 15. Re1. the rook is not much important in a closed game like this (that too in the middle game) so instead of moving the rook to e1 I will prefer Kh1 --> then Ng1 then if time permits Nc e2. we have to deploy the knights, the game is very closed no pawn to be cancelled. the center closed down (which means that the attacker will seek flank operation soon ) which means knights are the boss here. ionadwman , i meant 15 Kh1 instead of 15. Re1 . of course 16. Kh1 will be useless for Bxg2+

15.Re1 is useless (Bf2 is now worse than a pawn), but 15.Be1 looks OK (allows defence on the second rank with Qd2 or Rf2).

now the rook e1 comes as boomerang back to the defender, rf1 would have been more at service me thinks.

heinzkat what about ? 22 ... Qxe3 23. Qe1, Rg6?! 24. Nd1,Rxg3+25. Nxg3, Qxg3 ?! black gets 4 pawns and the useful knight for the rook. heinzkat : sorry I did not see the Kf1 thanks

Qf1 is the best defensive move I think,I was thinking about Kh2 also

One feels that the c3-knight ought to have begun his journey a move sooner, though... Apart from anything else, there's the problem of moving the heavy pieces out of the dungeons on the K-side...

This sort of proves my point that the Nd7 should have never gone to b6 anyway   this position looks good for Black though, due to permanent pawn structures that favour him.

I dont think I would capture the pawn rather I would close the territory with c3, as there are no strong pieces to take care of a new front in the queen side.

Maybe 29.Rc1 and recapture on c4 with the knight. But Black doesn't have to take at once...