Thanks for posting that game, likes.  I enjoy seeing games played by the 'greats' that show me what I could have done better.

I ran across a game I thought you might find interesting. It shows how Capablanca, ones of the greats of chess, handled this opening. If 7.Nxe5 then ...Re8 regains the pawn, so Black's play is safe and sound. Around move 12 you might be wondering, "Why is Black giving up the bishop pair??" The point is, after Bxf3 Qxf3 Qxf3 gxf3 White's bishop is entombed. It's stuck on the kingside, threatening nothing, so when Black attacks on the queenside he'll effectively be a piece up! And so he does and wins a passed pawn, at which point is opponent (who still had a useless bishop) resigned. :)

> Trading material was a satisfactory result at the time, in my opinion.

But after 5.Nxe5 your opponent is a pawn up? You could complicate things with 5...Qe7 but both 6.d4 or 6.Nf3 are very good for White.

...d6 is a simple and solid way to defend your e5 pawn.

...Bb4 is a bit sharper, a counter-attacking approach!

> 10... Bg7? Is there a move you would have recommended instead?

...Be7! saves the bishop. I made a very similar blunder at the world open and I didn't even have the excuse of super-fast time controls. ;)

I actually only found out the name later.  I like to pretend I know a lot about openings and such, but really I just look stuff up as I go back through my game(s).

4... a6 was done with the goal of kicking the Bishop to a position where my Knight wouldn't be pinned to my King.  Trading material was a satisfactory result at the time, in my opinion.   I'll have to look into lines more and see some other, better options.

10... Bg7? Is there a move you would have recommended instead?  I saw the impending loss of the Knight, but I didn't see any options for avoiding it.

I didn't notice Bxg2 at the time.

31. Nxe4 f5! is another thing I missed (obviously).

Thanks for the comments, likes.  It's nice to have someone else look at the game and see the things I won't.

Tactics, tactics, tactics.  :)

4...a6?! - Granted it has a 'name' and a few strong players have tried this, but you are giving up a pawn without adequare compensation. There are plenty of sidelines that don't require you to play from behind.

10...Bg7? - Allowing White to win a knight by force. 11.e5! O-O 12.exf6! Re8 13.Be3

17...Re6? - Bxg2! would have won a pawn.

21.Re8+?? - A blunder, allowing you an easy win.

"31.Nxa6?? - Nxe4 evens the material" - Not quite. 31.Nxe4 f5! and White is not so even due to the pin on the knight.