Still too early really to identify the opening. The Nimzovitch-Indian is ruled out, but there remain the King's Indian Defence, the Grunfeld and various Benoni defences available to Black...

Let's discuss 3.Nc3 for a bit. When white opens 1.d4, he needs a plan for challenging the d5 square. This can be done by later playing a pawn to c4 or e4. With the move sequence in this game, it looks like white is preparing e4 - N on c3, B on d3. This is a slow plan, and black is able to short-circuit white by playing ...c5 himself, then trading on d4 where white will have to recapture with the e-pawn - so no e4 break. And with a N on c3, there's no c4 break, either. Moral of the story: if you play d4, you need to either play e4 quickly, before black gets in ...c5, or you need to keep your pieces clear of your c-pawn. Of course, you can just play 3.c4, too.

Had White played 6.Bb5, chances are I would have responded 6...c6, then if 7.Bd3; c5.

Great input hityerclock. Thank you. In the 6. Bb5 scenario, I expect would have followed 6. ...c6 with 7. Ba4. If nothing else, that route might have helped prevent the silly 7. b3 as I would have wanted b3 as a possible home for the bishop.

6.Bd3 and Be2 are both better than Bb5 which is answered by c6.

It does leave White a bit vulnerable on the long dark diagonal.

There's a lot of pressure against d4.

The move 9.Be5 does seem better, with this possible continuation: 9...f6 10.Bg3 cxd4 11.exd4 e5 12.dxe5 Nxg3 13.hxf3 (13.fxg3!?) fxe5 14.Nxd5 and I rather don't think I would have played 14...e4 in this position. Maybe 14...Be6.

Will be interested in comments from the masters of course. There are a things I like about that idea marvin2. It also provides options re the dsb and allows the c-pawn to move up. But if 8. Ne2 is followed immed by 8. ...Bg4, there is a problem. H-pawn would need to be in place on h-3 first.

Question: ¿Would it be better 8.Ne2 supporting the d4 pawn and preparing a possible c4 move afterwards?. Once you've overcome this little crisis over the d4 pawn, you could castle. I don't know if only masters can comment in this kind of games, if so I apologise for the previous comment. But I can help to do another one, if Bg4 and h3 is what worries you I think Ne5 is a possible solution: attacks the black bishop and suggest the knight exchange (you can recapture with your dsb that stay in a nice position for the moment).

A creative approach, as shown by the freewheeling tactical melee that follows. Thetrouble is that it's too forcing a line, and White lacks the means to deviate. Black will emerge with the extra piece and a big advantage. Continuing instead with the 'obvious' 12.Nxd4 would have left White with only a slight deficit: 12 Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Bxg6 fxg6 14.Qxd4 Rf4! 15.Bxe7! Qxe7 16.Qxd5 Be6. A piece for two pawns ahead, Black would retain an active game and the initiative, but White would by no means be out of it.

Hmm, that is good. Looks like I have some room to improve how I go about assessing a position.

12.Nxd4 is best as ionadowman said. 12.Re1? is a blunder that loses quickly.

White gets to have some fun here, and calls the tune for a while at least.

Not so much a blockade - though that's useful - as a gain in tempo.

I wouldn't say that. But it's a nice tactical shot, all the same. Black has to let his d-pawn go.

At last Black gets to complete his development! The annotator is right: this position is just made for the bishop pair... Although the material advantage Black has doesn't seem to amount to much - bishop for two pawns - so actively placed are Black's pieces that White's extra pawns might as well not be on the board.

My first impression here was that my light square bishop was being denied any scope. But then ... well, check out what that LSB did in the next few moves!

The f5-bishop was taboo.

25.gxf5?? Bh2+ winning the queen for two minor pieces.

Not even 2 minors, as the bishop would be defended by the Queen.

I think 26.Qd7 was probably essential. I don't recall whether I would have exchanged Queens or not after 26.Qd7. When things are going so well, you don't want to be faced with a decision like that. The exchange would have meant a long drawn out, rather technical ending that I hadn't devoted much time to at this stage. But wasn't over-enamoured of the alternatives, ...Qb8 or ...Qc6, either. Fortunately, White opted for the retreat. Now Black is winning.

I can see that now. Not having much experience with an opposing side positioned quite like this, I held on to the queen hoping I could coordinate it with the rook and bishop. A very good illustrative lesson.

I didn't expect this move, thinking (for some reason) White would try 28.f3. After a bit of thought, I played what I would have done against that advance...

(!?) A very good, winning move, yet would you believe it is not the best? It turns out 28...Bc2!! (with the idea 29.Qxc2?? Qf3ch) was even deadlier.

Yes, 28...Bc2!! was better.