It need not be so boring - and is probably not a bad line for inexperienced players to get used to piece play...

The alternative, 7.Bb3 invites Black to exchange N for B. To achieve this, Black has spent two moves, and, far from weakening White's pawn structure by doubling the b-pawn, maybe has strengthened it a little (doubling "towards the centre, and the doublet is not isolated). Finally, the a-rook has a file half-opened for it without any effort on its part. The move played leaves White with a rather rigid pawn structure at his left centre, and the a-pawn is left isolated and potentially weak. The rigidity of the pawn structure leaves the dark squares somewhat vulnerable, though this is ameliorated a little by White's retention of his dark-square bishop. White's game here is difficult, but not too bad...

I'd look seriously at 9.h3 here or hereabouts. Ordinarily such moves are condemned as "beginner moves" unless they strike at a piece already occupying g4 (in this case). But here the pin (after ...Bg4) would really be inconvenient, as moving the queen to break the pin results in pawns being doubled on the f-file. Not that this weakening is necessarily fatal. White might yet be able to make some profit out of the open g-file... The only other method is by the h2-h3; g2-g4 sequence. Whether such a measure is strong or weak calls for a fine judgement.

I like 10.Be3, unconcerned about another pair of pawns being doubled if Black exchanges (10...Bxe3) as White's centre is very strong, and much has been done to strengthen those dark square weaknesses. The open files may prove handy, as well. If Black retreats to b6 (Bb6) White might play 11.Na5 (Bc7 12.c3, maybe), but 11.Bxb6 leaves the isolated a-pawn facing a rook at the end of the open a-file. An alternative is 10.Bg5, though you need to know already what you plan to do if the enemy plays 10...h6. In the actual game, White's last move is ill-advised on account of the opening of the a-file...

Instead 14.Be3 offers to exchange the a-pawn for the front b-pawn: 14...Rxa3 15.Bxb6 or 15.Rxb6. Black might instead try 14...Nd2, or the rather unappetising-looking 14...c5.

At this point White ought seriously to think about breaking the pin on f3. Can White play 15.g4, driving the bishop back to the deserts of g6? It is undeniably weakens White's castled position, but can Black exploit this? Could White's pawns become the spearhead of a K-side attack? Alternatively, a queen move invites 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3 ... 17.Kh2... 18.Rg1... say. Who benefits, White or Black? Of course, one might conclude that neither continuation is good for White, but in my view the position is such that they have to be considered.

letting black to take on f3 and doubling the pawns there is fatal for white. black will play Qh4, f5, Rf6 and Rh6 with lots of pressure on White's h3 pawn. I don't like g4 either. it feels weak. can't tell why...

16.d4 seems premature, though the idea is good. Possibly it would have gained in force after a preliminary 16.c3. There's not a whole lot to be done about the annoying pin on f3, unless White is prepared to try g2-g4...

Taking, to me, was the absolute mistake White brought on. Instead of 17.dxe5??, he could have stayed in place.

Now, 19.g4 won't do as the bishop would be quite well placed on g6.

22.Qxc4? Qf3 when 23.Qxe4 is the only move to save the mate.