My Road to Candidate Master (#2): Instructive Game I Played Against the English Opening

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. O-O Be7 7. d3 O-O 8. a3 Be6 9. b4 Bf6 10. e4 Nb6 11. Bb2 Qd7 12. Qc2 Rfd8 13. Rd1 Bg4 14. b5 Nd4 15. Bxd4 exd4 16. a4 Rac8 17. Nbd2 c6 18. Qb2 cxb5 19. axb5 Rc5 20. Rdb1 Nc8 21. Kh1 b6 22. Ng1 Nd6 23. h3 Be6 24. f4 Rxb5 25. Qa3 Be7 26. Qxa7 Qxa7 27. Rxa7 Rxb1 28. Nxb1 Kf8 29. e5 Nf5 30. g4 Ne3 31. Be4 g6 32. Ne2 b5 33. Rb7 b4 34. Kg1 Ra8 35. Nxd4 Ra1 36. Nxe6+ fxe6 37. d4 Nc4 38. Kf2 Ra2+ 39. Ke1 Bh4+ 40. Kd1 Ne3+ 41. Kc1 Be7 42. Rb8+ Kf7 43. Ra8 Rh2 44. Nd2 Rxh3 45. Nf3 Nxg4 46. Ra7 Nf2 47. Ng5+ Kf8 48. Nxe6+ Ke8 49. Bc6+ Kf7 50. Ng5+ Kf8 51. Nxh3 Nxh3 52. d5 Nxf4 53. d6 Bg5 54. Kc2 h5 55. Kb3 h4 56. Ra5 h3 57. Kxb4 Bh4 58. Kc5 g5 59. Ra4 h2 60. d7 Ne6+ 61. Kd5 h1=Q+ 62. Kd6 Qh3 63. Ra8+ Kf7 64. Bd5 g4 65. Re8 Qa3+ 66. Kc6 Qa6# 0-1

[@diptherio]

At 7:28, doesn't white have the move Nc3, trapping black's Queen?

[@Monadshavenowindows]

Black can just take the pawn on a3, and then the b4 pawn is hanging too.

[@Monadshavenowindows]

Actually Black would have to take the f3 knight first with check and then take the a3 pawn. If you take the a3 pawn first it leaves the e5 knight hanging. Opps!

[@diptherio]

@@Monadshavenowindows Oh right {facepalm}. This is why I'm 1300.

[@Monadshavenowindows]

@@diptherio No worries. It’s good to be very cautious about such tactics with your queen early in the game in your opponent’s territory.