2017 Winter Sucks Round 1 Anton Taylor, 1906 - Darrel P. Griffin, 1568 Petrov/Russian Defenese (C42)

2017 Winter Sucks Round 1 
Anton Taylor, 1906 - Darrel P. Griffin, 1568 
Petrov/Russian Defenese (C42)
http://chessmicrobase.com/microbases/9425/games/919180

This is the same opponent I played against in the Petrov/Russian defense previously.  
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bf5 7. O-O In the previous game in this variation I played Qe2 and he responded with Qe7. I liked my position after that but Qe2 isn't very objective (although if I could ensure the Qe7 response it would be fine).  7. ... Be7 8. Nc3 

Up until this move everything has been mainline. I considered c4 and Rel here but decided that the developing move Nc3 was an interesting sideline. The move is in the database but it isn't very favored. 8. ... O-O 9. Bf4 Qe1 is the database move for this position but it seems unconvincing to me. There are not nearly enough games in the database to convince me of the validity of the move. Bf4 keeps up with the development and works toward getting a bad piece in front of the pawns. 9. ... Nxc3 10. bxc3 Be6  This move is a waste of time. Bxd3 keeps some initiative and allows Black some time to catch up development. 11. Rb1 b6 After this there are too many light square weaknesses in the Black camp. Komodod recommends c5 and if White takes either pawn he could run into problems.  12. Ne5 Nd7 13. Nc6 Qe8 14. Nxe7+ This move is not accurate. Ba6 takes advantage of the light-square weakness and wins an exchange. 14. ... Qxe7 15. Qh5 Nf6 16. Qh4 c6 Rfe8 is better. 17. Bxh7+ Kh8

 18. Bd3+ I made this move too quickly. Bg5 wins on the spot.  18. ... Kg8 19. Rfe1 Again I miss playing Bg5. 19. ... Qd8 20. Re5? Here I considered Bg5. I had missed the reply. 20. ... Ne4! While not being a brilliant move it is certainly the most stubborn defense. 21. Qxd8 This move squanders my advanateg but I could find nothing better. Komodo instantly finds Rg5!. This tournament was played at G/30 and that is not nearly enough time for me to find the right moves. 21. ... Raxd8 22. Bxe4 dxe4 23. Rxe4 Bf5 24. Re2 Rde8 25. Rbe1 Bxc2?? Black sees ghosts and blunders a rook. 26. Rxe8 1-0