Annotated chess game: Time To Start Studying Endgames?

28...a4 The saying "passed pawns must be pushed" comes to mind. However, according to GN, Black went from -0.68 to -0.10 with that move. I'm not quite sure why--should Black perhaps have moved 28...exf3 I'm not sure. I do know that the next few moves wins a pawn back for White.

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29. fxe4 Qxe4+

expected.

30. Qxe4 dxe4 31. Rf4

There's really no way to save e4 at this point.

31... Rg5 32. Rxe4 Kf7

We've moved into a double rook endgame. GN now gives White the slight advantage +0.14

33. h4 Rd5

I mulled this move over for quite awhile

34. b6

34. b6 All of these moves took a fair amount of time for me. I did not want Black to move b6 as my analysis showed that would lose a pawn for White.

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34... e5 35. Rxe5 Rxe5 36. dxe5 a3

It was right about here that my opponent complimented my play thus far in the game. It always nice when someone 300+ points better than you tells you that you are playing a good game. She also told me that I had a draw on my hands if I played correctly. I've never drawn against a 2000+ opponent, so, of course, I felt the pressure. I deliberated several days over the next sequence of moves. I don't know if I would have worked so hard at it if my opponent had not told me that a draw was possible. At any rate, I worked out the correct moves but move 41 will undo it all.

37. c6 bxc6 38. Rd7+ Ke6 39. Ra7

I hoped Black might exchange Rs but she's too strong a player to do so.

39... Rb8 40. Rxa3 Rxb6

Again, my opponent complimented me. GN has the score of the game as -0.01 and fritz has it equal. While I don't know how equal the game is at this point while we're playing it, I know that it's going well. I guess I need to protect e5 [cue ominous music]

41. Re3

And this essentially loses the game for me. Not my typical blunder where I give away a piece--just inexact play against a superior opponent and bad things happen. My opponent let me know that Ra7! was the move I should have made. GN offered 41. Ra7 g6 42. Rxh7 Kxe5 43. Re7+ Kd5 44. Rd7+ Ke4 45. Re7+ Kd5 Fritz offered "41. Ra7!? should be examined more closely" [sarcasm]You think so, fritz?[end sarcasm] I focused so much on keeping material even that I missed the threat caused by Ra7. Ra7...Ra7...Ra7 Is see Ra7 in my nightmares.