Annotated chess game

This is why 10 ... c5? was a blunder by black. Castling on move 10 would allow black more tempo to guard against this attack.

You mean b7 not g7?

oh yes, of course. At this point, b6 and Re8 are in the agenda, and probably we had to play one of these. b6 fails to Qe4, and the rook is lost. And Re8 is not threatening without the knight's support. There was something better? Maybe Bd6 would have been the move, no matter BxB, fxB, followed by Nxc5...and try to get some advantage from losing both central pawns... what do you think?

You mean 12 ... Be6, not Bd6?

Note that the desirable ...b6 is not playable, on account of 14.Qe4.

We noticed it, we did... but this wasn't enough to save us.

It still has an insurance policy out on it: 14.Nxc5 Nxe5.

Exactly. But this is true for b6, too. Still far. This move also prevents Qxh7 to be mate.

In fact 14 Nxc5 Nxe5 15 Nxe5 (15 Qxe5 (inviting, e.g., 15 ... Qb6?? 16 Qxe8#) Rxe5 16 Nxe5 trades queen for rook, black getting the better end thereof) Rxe5 16 Qxe5 and white's advantage is huge!

Maybe Qc7 was better... ?

That e5 pawn is a very important element in White's game right now. Overprotection is called for...

We had to do something to try to play b6, and this was what we found. I doubt this was good. We didn't caculate Qf4... and the threats it carries. f6 was not possible due to e6... but after it, Nf8 poses a heavy pressure on the white pawn. The problem was Nxc5, defending the pawn... but anyway, this could have been preferable...

Also good is 16.Bc4, threatening either 17.Nxc5 (if the N on d7 moves) or 17.e6! (if it doesn't).

Could f5 have been possible? if e6, Nf8, but if white takes it (exf6), QxQ, RxQ, and Nxf6 would have released a lot of pressure.

White is developing a very effective attack. The blunt attack on the N at h6 scarcely masks the potentially more lethal one in e5-e6.

This is a blunder. 17...Qf8 is forced here.

17...Kg7 might have been another try, but 17...Qf8 seems best. Black is already in difficulty anyhow...

And this is my fault, in part. I knew it was a bad way to return the pawn, opening the king. The question is: ok, Qf8... and would have it held?

No alternative.

This was the move we missed, even if we were aware of its coming. It would have been a stupid omission for white to play Qxf5, here.

I recommended here e5 by black. If Qg3+, Kf8 (or f7), NxN, BxN, Nxe5 and our position is not good, but at least we've saved the rook. Does it work?

Note that 20...e5 21.Nxd7 followed by 22.Rxe5 is no better.

In hityerclock's line, after 22.Rxe5, White threatens to bring the other rook to c7 - even 22...Qd8 won't stop it. E.g. 22.Exe5 Qd8 23.Rc7 Rc8 24.Rxb7 d3 (what else is there?) 25.Rd5 Re7 26.Ne5 ... That poor immobilized bishop o9n d7!