Analysis please.

I'm going to simplify my analysis of this game even though it was anything but simple. Enjoy and please respond, comments or constructive critisism. Either are welcome.

Nobody had anything to offer? =/

I would definitely have played a4, and perhaps Ne5 before that.

19. h3 is a mistake, but I don't think it was losing by any means. I don't think there was any need to play 21. Bxf5?, as it opens up files, releases the white-squared bishop; when this comes to e6, it also releases the knight on a5 since the supporting pawn is also supported by the bishop (i.e. Be6 Kg2 Nc4 Nxc4 dxc4 and the pawn can't be retaken.)

What was your thinking behind 23. Nb3? It really helped black out. I think those two moves really gave the initiative back to black.

I played Nb3 because my knight was inactive and I didn't see any way to really get it into the game. And at the time I was wanting to trade off but I didn't look hard enough to see that he could escape and get it in the center where it was much more active. I guess I did it more out of impatience than anything else. But I agree, that was a mistake.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about Bxf5. I wanted to open the game up a bit. But that didn't work in my favor.

Perhaps I'm quite stupid, but I don't see why 20. fxe3 isn't good at all. You have a piece for two pawns and he has just one active piece, so there isn't any real mateattack. In each way is 20.Qxg3 kf1 21. Qxh3 only good for white. Perhaps is 21. e5 something better, but I can't believe that it would be mate.

I think if I was black I would have played 30..fxg3 too. 30..f3+ would lose the pawn to Nxf3.

As to 20..fxe3, it would not have led to an early mate. But it would have ripped my kingside pawns apart and I would have been very vulnerable later. Just the thought of that made me play more conservatively.

Thank you guys for the insight, it's much appreciated.

Well, I don't actually think you were losing until fairly late, but there are some small errors in your opening play as well, beginning with the second move, where your best shot at advantage is 2.d5!

Here are the blunders/mistakes/innacuracies and other interesting moves as I saw them:

8. c5 was a mistake, it gave up central control, Nc3 or Bg5 would've been better.

8...Bf4 also a mistake, he needed that Bishop.

9. g3 Just a slight innacuracy, Nc3, or better yet Na3, would've been better as the Bishop will be traded off regardless. It would have been nicer if you took it with your Rook (After Nc3).

11. Very wise not to capture en passant.

12. b4 I see form your comment that you've read something by Jeremy Silman. I think this was, if not the best move, then at least the best plan.

13. a3 yes, a4 would have been better, but b5 was better still, so as to be able to play c6 after he played b6.

16. c6 As of this point you are certainly winning.

19. h3 This is Not as you thought, a mistake. You'll see why.

19...Ne6?? This just lost a Knight.

20. Qc3?? You could have taken that Knight. After Qxg3+ Kf1 Qxh3+ ke2 Qg2+ Ke1 you are perfectly safe with a Knight open lines on the Kingside and Queenside space.

21. Bxf5 Not the best, I know you got an open file out of it, but tose doubled pawns of his, coupled with your now absent Bishop, represent a ppowerful attacking potential.

22. Re1 I know this looks good, but it isn't, you shoudl have continued with you Queenside plans, moves Like Qd3 or Qb2 were better. Re1 takes a file, but does not play with the imbalances in mind and neglects your proper strategy.

22... Be6 Not nice, the Bishop and Rook are both needed to protect the Queenside.

23. Nb3 Poor as it lets the other Knight go to c4. Qe3, Bringing you attack against a3 and f5 simultanesouly was better.

26. Ng5 I'm of two minds about this, but I suspect it was accurate.

26...f4 I hate to say 'i told you so...' Actually, this was premature, Rfe8 would have been better.

27. Rxe6 Very nice move, not nearly so suspicious as you seem to think.

30. Kg2 Qb3 was the best move.

31...h4 A mistake, Re8 would have been excellent, veritably forcing your Knight to move and allowing the Black Knight into the center.

34. Nb1 This wastes time, Qf3 was better.

34...Re8 A very good move.

35. g4 agains, Qf3 was best. From this poitn I believe you were lost. I'll not comment on the rest as he seemed to prosecute the attack accurately.

I hope that helped.

To Wandering, d5 was an option and I did consider it. But I didn't want to move my pawn twice when I could keep tempo and develop.

To Hibernating, 31. f3 looks interesting. I haven't looked into it or how it would have changed the game. But it looks like a logical move.

To Akuni, wow. That was beyond helpful. Everything made crystal clear sense to me. Except the suggestion 34. Qf3. If I played that, it looks like I'd lose my knight. Am I missing something.

Thanks to everyone that has helped so far. I really appreciate it.

Sorry, didn't see the knight enprise, in that case 34. Rf2 was best.

34. N-f3 would have been far superior...

Speaking of the knight - Since move #12 or so, I was wondering if you would develop the king knight to its logical outpost on e5. I was waiting for it, thinking you had saved it for a special occaision, but no... it never came. Yes, later on you were successful with the Q and R fork, but if you look at how you got in trouble, you'll see that had the knight been placed on e5 earlier, when it was safe to do so, much of black's kingside attacks would have been hampered.

I;m not so sure Ne5 would have been good, because Black could have played f6 and his central play would have overtaken White's play on the Queenside, which, incidentally, is not really helped by Ne5.

Also After 34. Nf3 Black can play Qxg3+.

I wanted to outpost on the e5 square. It looked like a good idea. But I figured I would be forced out soon after by f6 anyways. Which didn't do much to help me.