Annotated chess game

I would have given very serious consideration to closing the c-file in favour of the b. Why? The backward pawn at b2, for one, and the head of the sap at b3. My main concern, then, would be whether Black could make use of this asset before White could institure counter-measures: 20...bxc4 21.Qa4+ might be an annoying possibility, and 21.Rb1 with the idea 22.b3 or 22.b4 also have to be considered. Not an easy decision.

does 24. Rxe6 work? ... fxe6 25. Qxe6+ Kc7 26. Qe7+ and 27. Re6 checkmate -- I'm not sure what the reply should be. In any case, I just didn't want to commit my pawns.

No, 27. Re6 isn't checkmate, Black can block with the rook or queen (obviously with the rook being better).

With f7 being the major point of attack, Black might then think of defending it along the second rank, bringing his major pieces over to the Q-side, supposing he want to achieve something positive there. ******** The attack suggested by no_genius ceratinly has to come into the picture, partly as an extra string to White's bow; partly as an extra problem Black might have to face. Right now it looks very promising: 24.Rxe6! fxe6 25.Qxe6+ Kc7 26.Qf7+! (a tiny finesse that keeps the Q's eye on the g8-rook) 26...Kb6 27.Re6+. Now if [a] Black interposes with the Q, White plays 27...Qc6 28.Rxc6+ Kxc6 29.Qe6+ Kc7 30.Qxd5 and White has Q and 3 extra pawns for the rook-pair; else if [b] he interposes with the rook, then 27...Rc6 28.Rxc6+!? Qxc6 29.Qxg8 and White goes into the Q ending with two pawns extra. Given the general situation on the board after 23 moves, I think I would have gone for it.

Perhaps he was worried about me counter-attacking if he opened the g file? Or maybe a miss-click - or maybe he didn't want d4 to be taken with check (after f2-f4) (I meant after b5-b4, and axb4 axb4 cxb4.

Regardless of the reasons for it, the move proves to be a mistake.

Maybe 25.f4 was indicated, with a view to opening the e-file.

Panic? Black has, all of his own accord, opened up the a-file. Who gets to grab it first? 27.Ra1 seems to me to be indicated. An intriguing possibility emerges: 27.Ra1 bxc3 28.bxc3 Qxc3?? 29.Rxd5+! exd5 30.Qxd5+ and White attack has to be terminal (one of those attacks you know will be a forced mate without having to calculate it). Note that Black's rook at f8 dare not move whilst the WQ attacks f7. The weakness of White's c3-square is more than made up for by his active pieces.

I liked the Rc8 plan. Then maybe I could put my rook on a2 and penetrate the first or second rank. (also, because my b pawn is closer to queening, I probably thought it wouldn't be an equal exchange. Of course, I only just realised that the way to attack the pawn (after exchanging) is rooks on a3 and b3, king on c4.

Exchanging was correct, and would have left Black with a slight advantage. After the text move, Black has no good way of unhingeing White's Q-side.

This rook is a free agent who could fine better employment elsewhere. Much preferable was 33...Ra8.

I have a feeling that one side ought not to have allowed the rooks to go... At this point, I might imagine that White has the edge, even thought the K is far from the action right now. Indeed, Black might have been better not to have advance the g-pawn so far. White could now try 38.g4 with this endgame in mind: 38...Kd6 39.Kg2 e5!? (otherwise, how else is Black to break through?) 40.dxe5 Kxe5 41.Kf3 d4 (again: what else is there?) 42.c4! ... zugzwang! Black has no further recourse that to carry on: 42...d3 43.Ke3 d2 44.Kxd2 Kd4 45.c5! Kxc5 46.Kc3 and White wins! More than likely there are finesses in the position in answer to the 'what else' questions, but I'd fancy White's chances at this point. [[[I have just noticed that I had left the WK on h1 in my analysis of 38.g4. That the WK is one square closer to the action at g1 correspondingly increases White's advantage in my view. 38.g4 Kd6 39.Kf2 e5!? 40.dxe5 Kxe5 41.Ke3 (Kf3 transposes into my earlier line) and suddenly Black has a rael problem.

I prefer 38.g4, myself, but the text ought to be OK, I think.

White could reciprocate here, but at the cost of all winning chance: 40.g4 hxg4 41.hxg4 Ke7 (41...e5 42.dxe5 Kxe5 43.Kf3 - a line similar to something we've seen before as favorable to White) 42.Kd3 Kd6 43.c4 dxc4 44.Kxc4 e5 45.dxe5 Kxe5 46.Kxb3 and Black's g-pawn will Queen just in time to preserve the balance.

True, but not very interesting!

I'd heard of the winning idea (queen in front of the passed pawn), and wanted to try it

This line is fine, as was 54...Qd4+ 55.Ke7 Qxg4 (threatening ...Qc8) 56.Kd8 Qd4+ 57.Ke8 Qe5+ 58.Kd7 Qd5+ 59.Ke8 Qc6 60.Kd8 Qd6+ 61.Kc8 Qxc7+ etc. If ever the Q gets in front of the pawn, it's all up with the pawn.