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One of the best games I've played


This game really gave me confidence to keep on playing and improving at chess! Here I comfortably outplayed a player with a 2400 rapid rating in a quiet, "drawish" position in which there didn't seem to be much going on. Feel free to offer your thoughts on improvements for both sides. Here's what I was thinking during the game:

First of all, the weird move order with 1...e6 and 2...d5 was because I expected my opponent to play some sideline based on his previous games so I was prepared to play the Dutch. However, I changed my mind after seeing 2.c4.
I was quite happy to see 6.Bxc4 on the board instead of 6.a4 since it seems like this helps me solve the passivity of the light squared bishop more easily.
I played 9...Bxc5 without really thinking much but I would have played this anyway since it just feels like the king is better placed on e7 than g8 in these types of positions, as it helps defend a rook on d8.
I spent quite a while thinking on move 14, and came up with 14...g6 in order to control the f5 square preparing to play e5 in the future. My opponent seemed to be confused about what to do so he followed up with the abstract 15.h3 which I'm not sure improves his position. My next move was an inaccuracy according to the computer, and it allowed white to escape from the pressure on the knight so that seems to be accurate. I'm not quite sure what plan I should have selected though, I was thinking of Nb4 ideas but I couldn't make anything constructive come out of that.
On move 17 there were 3 possible recaptures, but I was happy with my choice of 17...Kxd7 since the bishop and knight were well placed controlling the centre. I looked at 17...Nxd7 intending Ne5 but it didn't seem quite right.
I was briefly annoyed about the possibility of 19.Ba5, but it didn't seem to cause any issues, though it would have been a little disruptive to my intended setup.
On the next few moves it seemed my opponent was just trying to make moves that attacked something or tried to put my king into check, and I think that he played a wrong move out of frustration that it wasn't heading anywhere, but nonetheless I was certainly pleasantly surprised to see 25.Ne2.
Not much noteworthy happened in the rest of the game, except that I delayed capturing on b2 to restrict my opponent's pieces first, which was a strategy I was quite happy about.
Well played.
14...g6 does not convince. 14...Nxd4 instead sets white up with an isolated queen's pawn.
If he trades 25 Bxd5 the position is balanced.
@soni777new #1
Your opponent blundered in a fairly equal position, so "outplaying" was not really the right word for that part, but you played the game overall in splendid fashion.
This was a casual game. Why are you not playing rated games ?

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