Annotated chess game

11.Nb5 causes some positional problems for black. If 11...Qd7 then 12.e5 suddenly becomes playable, and 11...Qb8 just looks awkward.

Nb5 also makes use of blacks omission of a6. However in a cup final there is a lot of pressure and it is easy to make mistakes. I think this was preparing Nb5 because it stops Qb6+ but when Be3 black must play Qa5(Qa6 loses the a8 rook to Nc7!! A discovered attack on the queen and a fork

12.Nb5 still looks good, hence 11...a6.

I agree with a6 because as I said above this is preparing Nb5 and then forces the awkward Qb8 or Qd7 which stops black's development. I think a6 was needed a few moves ago

12...Qd7 13.Rad1 looks awful for black, but 12...Qa5!? might be worth a try, and looks more promising than 12...Qb8, at least I can see an active plan for black after Qa5.

I though Qa5 followed by a6 kicking the knight and then b5 and Bb7 makes black's position better.

I don't see what c3 would give because white already fully controls d4 which that would do and this also helps do.

If black had played 12...Qa5 earlier (then 13.Rad1 Nxe3 14.Qxe3 a6 15.Nbd4), black could now continue with 15...Qc5, 16...b5, etc. with good Q-side counter-play.

15...Qa7 pins the N on d4, but how does black exploit it? I think c7 is a better square for the Q.

Now with ...b5 then ...Qa5 forces Rook to a1 because if he played Bb3 then a5 threatens a4 and so White must play a3 and sideline's the bishop on a2

b6 leaves the Nc6 en prise.

Of course the following was a silly comment, intended, maybe, for after the queen is on c7. [Wasn't b6 interesting? There is a possible pin from the bishop on c5 in the air, and it allows Bc8 a good square on b7.]

After 16.Nxc6 Qxc6 white has to move the bishop anyway, and 16.Nxc6 bxc6 actually looks good for black with ...Bb7 / ...c5 / ...d5 in the cards and black's bishop pair becomes active.

Na5 then Nxb4 Nxb3 and then b5 and Bb7 then attacks the e4 pawn and black's two bishops could outway knights with e5 fxe5 dxe5 and opens the board

I still would consider to develop the bishop to b7, leaving the column to the rook. The plan a5-a4 was interesting, too, provided white cannot do much harm with those tempoes.

I'd give serious consideration to 17.f5, which looks like the logical continuation to white's play with Bc4/f4/Nf3 etc. 17.f5 e5 18.Bxf7+ looks really dangerous for black, as does 17.f5 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 e5 19.f6 (19...Bxf6 20.Rxf6 gxf6 21.Qh6 intending the rook lift Rf3->Rg3/h3). Though I'm not sure if any of that is sound.

These (hityerclock's) are white's attacking moves... but is seems that white wants to take his time... not very coherent with f4 in the first place.

White has no way to prevent the loss of the second bishop, a key piece for an attack. This is why a move like f5 was necessary. In chess you can't wait. If you don't attack very quickly, your opponent will do it for sure! Well, this is not completely true, but to be able to "wait" requires much higher skill than mine  

What about Bc2, Qd3 and e5 threatens attack on h7 and forces g6

if Bc2, Nc4 attacks Qe3 and pawn b2, so if white continues with Qd3? Black has Nxb2 attacking the queen, so white would have to reply Qc1 with a somewhat passive position.

Maybe 18...Rac8 first, then 19...Nc4 20.Bxc4 Qxc4 and 21.b3 can't be played.

Of course Qe2 looks better. What would have black done? b5, maybe... or d5. This way, white rids off of his "ace" for the attack. Black can now consider e5 without danger.

at the moment it's fine but in the endgame it could be a problem. Maybe followed with c4 and a4 but after d5 The black bishop has b4 but I don't know if that's sound or not

Black can take on an IQP with d5 exd5 exd5 and with his 2 bishops and queen looking dangerous with the position opened a bit more and then Re8 and Qc7 black's Q and B's control a lot of squares but if Rfe1 then Black's Q must stay on c5