Annotated chess game

Plenty of interesting things have already happened in this game, from a rather strange opening, to some freewheeling tactical play that led to this early endgame position. I would like to see your views on the game so far, Mustafa. Some annotation of the previous 24 moves seems to be called for.   ?

Black is a pawn ahead, and has bishop for knight on an open board. This looks as though it ought to be a straitforward win for Black. 26...c4 is a good move that rids Black of the problematic backward pawn. The threat is to obtain secure a passed pawn by ...c3, so exchanges seem just about forced...

Black ought to be winning here: the a-pawn is decisive. Black's 39th clears its path...

After 39...Kb4 40.Kd3 a5! White is in a bad way. E.g. 41.f5 f6! 42.g5 a4 43.g6 h5 closes down the K-side, after which Black's King can stroll over and pick up all White's pawns whilst the White King has to spend time picking up tha a-pawn: 44.Kc2 Kc4 45.Kb2 Kd4 46.Ka3 Ke5 47.Kxa4 Kxf5 48.Kb4 and Black can choose from ...Ke4, ...kf4, ...Kg4, or ...Kxg6 to win the game. In this game, however, it seems as though Black thought he had to queen the a-pawn, rather than using the threat it presented to decoy the WK to the Q-side.

After 42.f5, ...f6 was still safest, but ...a5 is OK. But after 43.g5 I would certainly play 43...f6! White can take (44.gxf6 gxf6); or advance 44.g6 h6 (or ...h5); or move his King (44.Kd3 a4), but in effect his K-side counterplay comes to an abrupt halt. Instead, Black's infantry defence is about to be stormed!

Simple 44...g6 ends the game immediately

45.g6! the only move to storm the line and force a pawn promotion. You'd think 3 pawns couldn't achieve this against 3 pawns, but if the attacking side is permitted to line up on the 5th rank whilst the defenders remain supinely on the 7th, then ... here we are!

If Black could force Q exchanges, he would still be winning (e.g. 49...Qa5ch 50.Kd3?? Qa3ch 51.Qxa3 Kxa3 and Black has a winning pawn ending). He might still have winning chances if he can bring his king safely over to the h-file, where he might be able to find shelter from the checks. Otherwise, it's a draw.

I don't believe that this is forced draw. There has to be something for Black here, but if it is a draw, then Black should've played on since White's defense won't be perfect

Interesting and instructive. Black had excellent chances of winning, but allowed White to develop enough counterplay to save the game. *** In response to byakuugan: I reckon White ought to be able to hold the game ... with care. But there was certainly nothing against Black testing White's defensive alertness by playing on. There are winning chances for Black in those K-side pawns, but somehow Black has to find shelter from the checks. I think I would have played on for a few more moves myself, from this position.

Yes my opponent offered draw so early. In last position, white has to check by b6. Because if i play e6, black will play c4. So white has to take queen. So i would play Qb6. Then black will play Kc2. So impossible to check.... Black would win. His biggest mistake is early drawing...

This has to be a win if White keeps checking, White's King is too close. But he should maybe try to combine checks with threats to the pawns (which are far away and undefended).