The game below was a pretty cool exchange Caro Kann. I apresiate any help regarding how such positions should be handled
Seems like it didn’t work to post the game. It’s my most recent classical game which I lost
https://lichess.org/Kjo2IGN6/black
Yes that’s the game:) ty
Your decisive blunder was 34...Kd8?? as you run into the knight fork 36 Nb6+. You had to play 34...Ke7 so your king can go to d6 to win.
25...N6xe5? throws away the win. 25...Nh2 intending ...Rh8 would have won.
14...g5? is reckless, puts your king in danger
13...a6 loses a tempo as compared to 11...Rb8 and 13...b5. Better 13...Re8 preparing ...e5.
11...Rc8 is probably not optimal. 11...Rb8 intending ...b5, or 11...h6 kicking the bishop, or 11...Re8 to prepare ...e5 may be better.
I agree on most of what you say @tpr i only had one question. You say that 14... g5 is reckless. In some cases it is correct to get rid of the pin with g5, even when castled kingside. Why is that not the case here? I found the pin pretty annoying and I thought I managed to cover the weak light squares quite well with kg7, ne7 and later rh8. I know you are probably right, I would just like a little explanation so I can learn from it.
I lost quite a bit of sleep over that kd8 move. I have more than enough time to not automatically think double check = bad.
"double check = bad"
* Both 34...Kd8+?? and 34...Ke7 run into double check, but after 34....Kd8?? there is a fork on b6, while after 34...Ke7 the king leaves the double check to d6.
"In some cases it is correct to get rid of the pin with g5, even when castled kingside."
* This is no such case: he storms your king with 17 h4. Another factor is that he can trade Bg3 for Bd6, leaving dark squares around your king permanently weak. It were different if e.g. Bd6 were at f8 and could go to g7, and/or if pawn d5 were at d6, limiting the scope of Bg3.
How does kd8 run into a double check? Only the queen checks. After 34... ke7 both queen and knight check after 35 nxd5+ I have no problems understanding why kd8 is a blunder though. Thanks for explaining why g5 is bad. That was very useful
"double check"
* No indeed Kd8 Nxd5+ is discovered check, Ke7 Nxd5++ is double check.