First OTB tourney game in my life- Grunfeld Defense with uncommon Nxd5 Nxd5

Hi folks! I have completed the game mentioned in the title and wish to seek help by reviewing my post game analysis.
The game effectively ended in move 21. I moved too fast while my opponent also.
Getting lost in white d4 opening and after the defeat I feel compelled to learn the ICS Catalan immediately.
I did not study it before the game fearing the complexity is too great for me but now I am sure that I need it!

The game was mainly due to under-development and finally ended with gross tactical error.



The background info and the two analysis of this game was provided here:

http://blog.chess.com/Chemwong/my-first-otb-tournament-swiss

Please give help as 3 days later another game will commence. Thanks in advance!

MY OWN ANALYSIS



COMPUTER AND ME

Why not use the ICS lines?

Instead of 4.Nf3 the lines flow from 4.Bg5. The main lines can be memorized in 1-2 evenings, provide easy development, and the resultant positions relatively easy to play. The idea is to avoid blocking the White c1 Bishop and playing e3 to hinder Black g7 Bishop

Although you will eventually need to master the Catalan since it's the backbone of the 1.d4 repertoire against the QGD, it will require a couple of weeks to go through all the theory.


Good Luck!

PawnCustodian wrote:Why not use the ICS lines?

Instead of 4.Nf3 the lines flow from 4.Bg5. The main lines can be memorized in 1-2 evenings, provide easy development, and the resultant positions relatively easy to play. The idea is to avoid blocking the White c1 Bishop and playing e3 to hinder Black g7 Bishop

Although you will eventually need to master the Catalan since it's the backbone of the 1.d4 repertoire against the QGD, it will require a couple of weeks to go through all the theory.


Good Luck!

Played too much KID in old ways so my hand goes to auto-mode.
I really need to get on gear on my white openings of ICS now.
I focused too much on Semi-slav and Scandinavian Qd6 and even feared to play white
For the "conventional" QGA,QGD,Slav,Semi-slav I still can handle but the naughty KID is formidable still,
even though I studied the "MOBILE CENTRE" section.
Black sucessfully destroy my centre and flood into my camp

For the purpose of (almost) unification of white opening I need to start now!

The White Repertoire is difficult since you need to be prepared for close to a dozen black defenses.

After much agonizing I decided to stay with the Scandinavian against 1.e4, and the Stonewall Dutch against 1.d4 and 1.c4 for the time being. My feeble mind can only handle so much at one time.

PawnCustodian wrote:The White Repertoire is difficult since you need to be prepared for close to a dozen black defenses.

After much agonizing I decided to stay with the Scandinavian against 1.e4, and the Stonewall Dutch against 1.d4 and 1.c4 for the time being. My feeble mind can only handle so much at one time.

I tried Dutch but end out with playing AGAINST it much better than playing it due to the line presented in Month 1 against 1. ...f5
That line can be found if one follow database win% value and is far more common than what database says, in online correspondance chess....

Chemwong wrote: I tried Dutch but end out with playing AGAINST it much better than playing it due to the line presented in Month 1 against 1. ...f5
That line can be found if one follow database win% value and is far more common than what database says, in online correspondance chess....

I know that the Month 1 White repertoire overlooks 6.Qf3 which has been getting good results. The Month 5 repertoire for Black prepares a line against Qf3 that hasn't seriously been tested yet, at least in the Mega Database.

Finally have a little time to review this game :-)

3... d5 the exchange variation cxd5, Nxd5, e4, Nxc3, bxc3 is still possible, close to the panov and quite ok for white.

6. Nxd5 same line here, e4 more favorable i think.

10.a3 i would play Bd2, brings bishop in the game, protects king, frees rook to double on c file (a later a3, b4 with Bb4 protection is still possible), it's not only a good move, you have to move this bishop here at some point since you want to keep the d4 pawn there (to reduce Bg7 power), so better to move it now. Because you dvp it too late, you were pressured around moves 17. 18.

11.Qe4 this Bf5 is really annoying whatever line you choose, afterall O-O, Bxf3, gxf3, e5, d5 is not as horrible as it looks, even with doubled pawns, your king is safe.

14.O-O this was your last chance to hold, with the crucial Bd2.

The rest of the game, is the consequence of this undevelopped bishop in my opinion. The e5 break move is sufficient for black to break through since a1 rook and c1 bishop are out of play.

How did the tournament went finally Chemwong ?

I can recommend the ICS Grunfeld line. I defeated a 168 ECF county player with it in a tournament last year. I was only 124 ECF at the time.