[Event "Exeter vs. Teignmouth"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1997.11.01"]  [Round "1"]  [White "Hodge, D."]  [Black "Lane, P."]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "C07"]  [PlyCount "114"]   {How do you analyse a chess game? If it's someone else's: (1) Play through  the whole game fairly quickly, seeing what ebb and flow the game had. (2)  Divide the game up into episodes, even if they are only opening middlegame and  endgame, and try to describe what happened and who if anyone had the advantage.  (3) Try and find the critical steps, where one or other side made an important  choice (if it was only to overlook something!). (4) Put your account aside  for a few days and have a fresh look later. What other ideas now occur to  you? Did you make a too-smooth moral fable out of a more fluctuating scrap?  OPENING: in a standard line Black has a slight cramp and an extra central Pawn.  Soon, however, exchanges break out.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5  5. Ngf3 cxd4 6. Bc4 Qd6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Nb3 Nc6 9. Nbxd4 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 a6 {[#]  So far, so standard.} 11. Be3 {"Less dangerous" - John Watson. Nonetheless  both David and Pete are about as safe to relax around as an alligator in your  swimming pool, so I imagine the next few moves were played with some care on  both sides.} (11. Bb3) (11. c3) (11. b3) (11. Re1 Qc7 12. Bb3 Bd6 13. Nf5 Bxh2+  14. Kh1 O-O (14... Kf8 $5) 15. Nxg7 Rd8 (15... Kxg7 16. Qd2 Ng8) 16. Qf3 Kxg7  17. Bh6+ Kg6 18. c3 Nd5 19. Rad1 f5 20. Bc1 Bd6 21. Bxd5 exd5 22. Rxd5 Bd7 23.  Qh3 Bf8 24. Re3 Kg7 25. Rg3+ Kh8 26. Qh4 Be6 27. Bf4 Be7 28. Bxc7 {1-0 Adams,  M-Dreev,A/Hoogovens, Wijk aan Zee NED 1996}) 11... Qc7 12. Bb3 Bd6 13. h3 O-O (  13... b5 {is one more Pawn move to get the Bd7 developed more aggressively.})  14. a4 Bd7 15. Qe2 {Black has an extra central Pawn and has an opportunity to  make use of it.} Bh2+ (15... e5 {This looks bold but is entirely consistent  with the position, and is played at a time when White can't react with usual  annoying ideas like Nf5 or Nc2-e3. That's what I would have played, but Pete  likes to play it the way he is used to.}) 16. Kh1 Bf4 {Exchanges are a  reasonable objective in a cramped position, although that is one of Black's  better pieces it is being exchanged for a potentially dangerous White one.} 17.  Rfe1 Bxe3 18. Qxe3 Bc6 19. Qe5 (19. Nxc6 Qxc6 20. Rad1 {looks a better try for  an edge.}) (19. Rad1 $1 $11 {Fritz5}) 19... Qxe5 20. Rxe5 Bd5 21. c3 $15 (21.  Bxd5 Nxd5 22. c4 $11 {Fritz5}) 21... Bxb3 22. Nxb3 Rfd8 {[#] ENDGAME: There  now follows a tense sequence where each side tries to make their Rooks active  and attack Pawns. White targets b7 but allows Black activity in return. White  then carelessly drops the a-Pawn. Can Black convert the win? Black decides  to make his two breaks earlier rather than later - possibly incorrectly.} 23.  a5 Rac8 24. Ra4 Rd1+ 25. Kh2 Rb1 26. Re2 Nd5 27. Nd4 g6 28. Kg3 Kg7 29. c4 Nf6  30. Rb4 Rd1 31. Nf3 Rc7 {[#] Last chance to save the a-Pawn.} 32. Ne5 Ra1 33.  Ng4 Nxg4 (33... Nh5+ {retains the Knights}) (33... Rxa5 {allows White to  exchange if he wants}) 34. hxg4 Rxa5 35. Rd2 Rac5 36. b3 b5 (36... Kf6 {make  the King one square better before breaking; the Rook on b4 is going nowhere  fast.}) 37. Ra2 bxc4 38. bxc4 Ra7 39. Kf3 Kf6 40. Ke3 a5 41. Rb5 Rxc4 $15 (  41... Rxb5 $1 42. cxb5 Ke5 $17 {Fritz5}) 42. Raxa5 Rxa5 43. g5+ Kg7 44. Rxa5 h6  45. gxh6+ Kxh6 46. f3 Rb4 47. Re5 Rb3+ 48. Kf4 Rb2 49. g4 g5+ 50. Ke3 Kg6 51.  Ra5 Rb3+ 52. Ke2 f5 {[#] Black could try to get the Rook to d5 before this.}  53. gxf5+ exf5 54. Kf2 f4 55. Ra2 Kh5 56. Kg2 Kh4 57. Rc2 Ra3 {If it's your  own: (1) write down as much as you can remember about what you thought about  at the time, and (2) any thought your opponent shared during a Post Mortem.  (3) Leave it for a few days and come back fresh, then analyse it as you would  somebody else's. Be particularly wary of self-serving interpretations,  especially of the "I was winning all the way through" variety. What did you  miss?} 1/2-1/2   [Event "Exeter vs. Teignmouth"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1997.11.01"]  [Round "2"]  [White "Pickering, A."]  [Black "Brusey, A."]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "C05"]  [Annotator "DR, RS, Fritz5"]  [PlyCount "84"]   {OPENING: Black chooses a cheeky line and equalises without difficulty. White  commits a serious error and bales out by sacrificing the exchange.} 1. e4 e6 2.  d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Ne4 5. Bd3 {when faced with a sharp and unorthodox move,  returning the ball with a good solid all-purpose move like Bd3 is the right  strategy, deferring the critical moment to later in the game.} (5. Nxe4 dxe4  $14 {is the critical line, supposed to give White the advantage (perhaps no  more than in other lines of the French), although Black naturally would know  his way around this better than White.} 6. Bc4 (6. Be3)) 5... Nxd2 6. Bxd2 c5  7. c3 Nc6 $6 {BCO2 gives the immediate ...Qb6 as better.} 8. Be3 (8. Nf3 Qb6 9.  dxc5 $14) 8... Qb6 {[#] Black has an OK game - a standard Advanced French but  with less cramp - but has sacrificed a tempo to do so. However, White faces  unpleasant pressure against d4 and b2.} 9. b3 $2 {Can't be right.} (9. dxc5) (  9. Nf3 cxd4 10. cxd4 Bb4+ (10... Qxb2)) (9. Qb3 {"should not be overlooked" -  Fritz 5}) 9... cxd4 10. cxd4 Bb4+ 11. Kf1 {Normally Black just displaces the  King out of spite, but here he can nibble a Pawn.} Bc3 {[#] MIDDLE GAME: White  manfully gives up the exchange, but the test of the game is a slow exercise in  the inevitable. Black can always gain squares by threatening exchanges.} 12.  Nf3 (12. Rc1 Bxd4 13. Bxd4 Nxd4 14. Qg4 {-/+ Fritz 5}) 12... Bxa1 13. Qxa1 Bd7  14. g3 Nb4 15. Bb1 Rc8 16. Kg2 Nc2 17. Qb2 Nxe3+ 18. fxe3 Qb4 19. Ng5 h6 20.  Nf3 Bb5 21. Rc1 Rxc1 22. Qxc1 Kd7 23. a4 Be2 24. Nd2 Rc8 25. Qe1 Bh5 26. e4  Qxd4 27. exd5 Qxd5+ 28. Be4 Qd4 (28... Qxe5 $4 29. Bc6+ Rxc6 30. Qxe5 {- Fritz  5}) 29. Nc4 b6 30. Kh3 Qd1 31. Qe3 (31. Qxd1+ Bxd1 32. a5 bxa5 33. Nxa5 {-  Fritz 5}) 31... Bg4+ (31... Qf1+ $1 32. Kh4 g5+ 33. Kxh5 (33. Qxg5 hxg5+ 34.  Kxg5 Rg8+ 35. Kh6 Qc1+ 36. Ne3 Qxe3+ 37. Kh7 Qg5 38. Bc6+ Kxc6 39. h4 Qg6#)  33... Qh3# {- Fritz 5}) 32. Kg2 Qe2+ 33. Kg1 Qxe3+ 34. Nxe3 Rc1+ 35. Kf2 Bd1  36. Nxd1 Rxd1 37. Ke3 f6 38. Kf4 (38. exf6 gxf6 39. Ke2 $19 {Fritz 5}) 38... f5  39. Bf3 Rb1 40. g4 g5+ 41. Kg3 f4+ 42. Kf2 Rxb3 {Thanks to Ray Shepherd's  Fritz5} 0-1   [Event "Exeter vs. Teignmouth"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1997.11.01"]  [Round "3"]  [White "Halmkin, PE."]  [Black "Bellers, CJ."]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "B24"]  [WhiteElo "2500"]  [PlyCount "64"]   {OPENING: a less common line is adopted where some controversial decisions are  made.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. Nge2 d6 6. d3 e5 {[#] The  Botvinnik treatment. [#] The Botvinnik treatment.} 7. O-O (7. Nd5 Nge7 8. c3  Nxd5 9. exd5 {sealing the hole on d5 sealing the hole on d5} Ne7 10. O-O O-O  11. f4 Bd7 12. h3 Qc7 13. Be3 Rae8 14. Qd2 Nf5 15. Bf2 h5 16. Rae1 Qd8 17. Kh2  Bh6 18. h4 Qf6 19. Be4 exf4 20. Nxf4 Nxh4 21. Be3 Nf5 22. Bxf5 Qxf5 23. Qg2 Qg4  24. Qe2 Qxe2+ 25. Rxe2 Re5 26. Ree1 Rfe8 27. Bf2 h4 28. Rxe5 Rxe5 29. d4 hxg3+  30. Kxg3 Rg5+ 31. Kh2 Rf5 32. Be3 cxd4 33. cxd4 Kh7 34. Rf2 g5 35. Ne2 Rxf2+  36. Bxf2 f5 {0-1 Smyslov,V-Botvinnik,M/Moscow Wch-m 1954}) 7... Nge7 8. Kh1 (8.  Be3 h5 $5 9. h3 Be6 10. Nd5 Qd7 11. h4 Bxd5 12. exd5 Nd4 13. c3 Ndf5 14. Bg5  O-O 15. a4 Qc7 16. a5 b5 17. axb6 axb6 18. Qb3 b5 19. Rxa8 Rxa8 20. Qxb5 Rb8  21. Qa4 Rxb2 22. Qe8+ Bf8 23. Ra1 Qc8 24. Qxc8 Nxc8 25. Kf1 Nb6 26. c4 Be7 27.  Be4 Bxg5 {1/2-1/2 Kharitonov Andrei Y-Psakhis Lev/Cup World (open), Moscow  (Russ 1989}) 8... h5 $5 {A move with some point (see the Psakhis game) but  better saved up, I think.} (8... O-O) (8... f5 $5) 9. f4 {Botvinnik would say  that this Pawn is in White's way.} exf4 (9... h4 $5) 10. Bxf4 Bg4 (10... h4 $5  {looks like the right follow-up, taking advantage of the absence of the Knight  from f3 and making use of the Pawn on h5.}) 11. Nb5 Be5 {[#] MIDDLE-GAME:  White rolls out the standard attack on the f-file but Black holds the line -  just.} (11... Ne5 12. Bg5 a6) 12. c3 (12. h3 Be6 13. Bxe5 dxe5 (13... Nxe5 14.  d4 Bc4 15. dxe5 Bxb5 16. exd6 Bxe2 17. Qxe2 Qxd6 18. Rad1 $16) 14. Rf6 Ng8 15.  Rf2) 12... a6 13. Na3 Rb8 {A natural follow-up to ...a6, but there's a lot of  action on the other side.} 14. h3 Bxf4 15. Rxf4 Bxe2 (15... Be6 {idea ...d5  later}) 16. Qxe2 O-O 17. Raf1 b5 18. g4 (18. Qf2 {with one idea d3-d4}) 18...  hxg4 19. Qxg4 Ne5 20. Qg3 b4 21. Nc4 bxc3 22. bxc3 Nxc4 23. dxc4 Nc6 24. e5 $17  (24. Qd3 $5 $15 {was preferred by Ray's friend Fritz}) 24... Nxe5 25. Bd5 Kg7  26. h4 f5 (26... Rb2 $5) 27. h5 (27. Rxf5 Rxf5 28. Rxf5 Rb1+ 29. Kg2 Rd1 30. h5  Rd3) 27... Qf6 28. Rxf5 Qxf5 29. Rxf5 Rxf5 30. hxg6 Rb1+ 31. Kg2 Rb2+ 32. Kg1  Rb1+ $4 {The clock may have had something to do with this if I know Chris.} (  32... Rf6 33. Qe1 Rxg6+ 34. Kf1 Rxa2 $19 {Fritz5} 35. Qb1 Rd2 36. Qb7+ Kh6 37.  Qxa6 $4 Nd3) (32... Rd2 {idea Rd3}) 1/2-1/2   [Event "Exeter vs. Teignmouth"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1997.11.??"]  [Round "4"]  [White "Rudall, D."]  [Black "Hill, D."]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "B06"]  [PlyCount "104"]   {OPENING: White plays solid, and Black plays solid-but-passive allowing a  cheeky attack on f7: Black concedes a Pawn.} 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3  c6 {Solid but perhaps not to the point. I like to play these positions with ..  .c5 to break up the solid centre.} 5. Bd3 Nd7 6. Nbd2 Qc7 7. Qb3 Ngf6 (7... b5  8. c4 a6) 8. Bc4 O-O 9. Ng5 d5 (9... e6 {is usually an OK try but here} 10. e5  Ne8 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. Nxe6 Qb6 13. Ng5+ Kh8 14. Nf7+ Rxf7 15. Qxf7) 10. exd5  cxd5 11. Bxd5 Nxd5 12. Qxd5 Nf6 {[#] MIDDLE-GAME: Black has some compensation  in the two Bishops: he must avoid exchanges and play as actively as possible.  White concedes the Pawn and exchanges off into an endgame.} 13. Qc4 Qb6 14. O-O  Bd7 15. Qb3 Qa5 16. Nge4 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Bc6 18. Ng3 e5 19. Be3 $6 {Defending d4  just creates a target.} (19. dxe5 Bxe5 20. Re1) 19... exd4 20. cxd4 (20. Bxd4  Bxd4 21. cxd4 Bd5 {is not easy for White either.}) 20... Rfd8 {Recovering the  Pawn with a slight advantage.} 21. Qc3 (21. Rfd1 Ba4 22. Qa3 Bf8 23. Bd2 Qb5  $19) 21... Qd5 22. f3 Bxd4 23. Bxd4 Qxd4+ 24. Qxd4 Rxd4 {[#] ENDGAME: Black  shows a textbook approach with an active pieces and an active King. White  goes passive and creates numerous weaknesses.} 25. a3 h5 26. Rfd1 Rad8 27. Rxd4  Rxd4 28. b4 $6 Kg7 {KUFTE! In fact, all Black's pieces are better than their  White counterparts, a fact which the symmetrical Pawns seem to emphasise!} 29.  Ne2 Rd2 30. Nc3 Rc2 31. Nd1 Kf6 32. Ne3 Rc3 33. Kf2 a6 34. Ra2 Ke5 35. g3 Kd4  36. Rd2+ Rd3 37. Re2 Kc3 38. f4 Kb3 39. Nc2 Kc3 40. Ne3 Rd2 41. Rxd2 Kxd2 {A  classic Bishop vs. Knight ending has arisen.} 42. f5 Kc3 43. fxg6 fxg6 44. g4  Kb3 45. Kg3 Kxa3 46. gxh5 gxh5 47. Kh4 Be8 48. Nd5 Bf7 49. Nf4 Kxb4 50. Nd3+  Kb5 51. Kg3 a5 52. Kf3 a4 0-1   [Event "Exeter vs. Teignmouth"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1997.11.??"]  [Round "5"]  [White "Lee, RJ."]  [Black "Gorodi, J."]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "E24"]  [PlyCount "119"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 {OPENING: White plays the most aggressive system  against the Nimzo, siezing space in the centre and glaring at the Black King.}  4. f3 (4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3) (4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. a3) 4... d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6.  bxc3 c5 7. e3 {Gligoric gives this "?!", although it is merely a switch to  another, slower, plan, from the Closed Samisch Variation normally intriduced  by 4. e3 or 4. a3.} (7. cxd5 {is more aggressive, aiming to play e2-e4 in one  move. Karpov got the edge using this system against Timman in their  Candidates' Match.} Nxd5 (7... exd5 {transposes}) 8. dxc5 Qa5 9. e4 Ne7 10. Be3  O-O 11. Qb3 Qc7 12. Bb5 Nec6 13. Rd1 Na5 14. Qb4 e5 15. Ne2 Be6 16. c4 a6 17.  Ba4 Nxc4 18. Bf2 Nc6 19. Qc3 Qa5 20. Bxc6 bxc6 21. Qxa5 Nxa5 22. O-O Rab8 23.  Nc3 Rb3 24. Na4 Rxa3 25. Nb6 Nc4 26. h3 h5 27. Rc1 Nb2 28. Rb1 Nd3 29. Rfd1 f5  30. exf5 Rxf5 31. Rd2 Nxf2 32. Kxf2 {Timman J-Karpov A/3, Kuala Lumpur cm f  1990/1/2-1/2 (61)}) 7... O-O 8. Bd3 b6 9. cxd5 exd5 {Dissolving the doubled  Pawns. Black must play very carefully now, for White has a natural plan of  campaign. The GMs play this difficult position from both sides, but White  seems to be playing the positive side of the position (aiming for e4).} (9...  Nxd5 {is a spoiling alternative, aiming for piece play: I might prefer this  having played ...b6 already.} 10. Qc2 cxd4 11. cxd4 {idea ...Ba6, with a  Queen's-side Pawn majority as long as we survive the middlegame.}) 10. Ne2 Re8  (10... Ba6 11. O-O Re8 12. Ng3 Qc8 13. Bxa6 Nxa6 14. Qd3 Qb7 15. Ra2 Re6 16.  Re2 Rae8 17. Rfe1 h5 18. Qf5 g6 19. Qf4 Qd7 20. Bb2 cxd4 21. cxd4 Rc6 22. e4  Nc7 23. Nf1 a5 24. h3 Kg7 25. g4 hxg4 26. hxg4 Ne6 27. Qe3 Rh8 28. Ng3 Kf8 29.  e5 Ng8 30. f4 Ng7 31. Qf3 Nh6 32. Rh2 Kg8 33. f5 gxf5 34. g5 Ng4 35. Rxh8+ Kxh8  36. Ne2 Rc2 37. Qb3 Qc6 38. Bc3 Ne3 39. Kf2 f4 40. Rh1+ Kg8 41. Rh6 Qc8 {0-1  Beliavsky Alexander G-Short Nigel D/Linares (Spain) 1990}) 11. O-O Nc6 (11...  Ba6 12. Ng3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Nc6 14. Bb2 c4 $6 15. Qd2 Qd7 16. Rae1 h5 17. e4 g6  18. Bc1 Nh7 19. Qh6 Re6 20. f4 Ne7 21. f5 gxf5 22. Qxh5 dxe4 23. Nxf5 Nxf5 24.  Rxf5 Rae8 25. Re3 Rg6 26. Rh3 {1-0 Kasparov,G-Ivanovic,B/Niksic 06 1983}) 12.  Ng3 Be6 13. Bb2 Rc8 14. Qd2 Qd7 15. Rae1 Red8 16. Qf2 Ne7 $6 {[#] Takes  pressure off d4} 17. e4 {Ready or not, here we come... Black has neither  counterplay on the Queen's-side nor restraint on the e-file, and so must be  counted as standing worse.} Ng6 18. e5 Nf4 19. Bc2 Ne8 20. Qd2 g5 21. Ne2 {[#]}  Bf5 {Not a bad idea: the Black light-squared Bishop is poor, and if your  opponent has two Bishops (however crummy they might appear at the moment) it  is good to exchange one of them. However, the tactical execution is wrong.  Every strategical idea must be negotiated with the tactics in the position.}  22. Nxf4 Bxc2 (22... gxf4 {is messy but not so obviously losing:} 23. Bxf5 (23.  Qxf4 Bxc2) 23... Qxf5 24. Bc1 cxd4 25. cxd4 Rc2 26. Qxf4 Ng7) 23. Nh3 h6 24.  Qxc2 {[#] That'll do nicely.} cxd4 25. Qd2 dxc3 26. Bxc3 Ng7 27. Nf2 h5 28. Rc1  Ne6 29. Bb2 Rc4 30. Rxc4 dxc4 31. Qxd7 Rxd7 32. Rd1 Rc7 33. Ne4 Kg7 34. Bc3 Kg6  35. Kf2 {[#] Black is again obliged to play with maximum energy...} Kg7 {...  not like this.} 36. g3 Kg6 37. Ke3 a5 (37... b5 {is better, keeping the Pawns  intact, when White might still have some problems.}) 38. Rd6 Rb7 39. a4 {  fixing the b-Pawn} b5 40. axb5 Rxb5 41. Rc6 a4 42. Rxc4 a3 43. Ra4 Nc7 44. Rxa3  Nd5+ 45. Kd4 Nxc3 46. Rxc3 g4 47. Rc6+ Kg7 48. fxg4 hxg4 49. Nf6 Kg6 50. Nxg4+  {[#] Black could resign with a clear conscience.} Kg5 51. h3 Rb4+ 52. Ke3 Rb3+  53. Kf2 Rb2+ 54. Kf3 Rb3+ 55. Ne3 Rb5 56. h4+ Kh5 57. Rf6 Rb7 58. Kf4 Rb4+ 59.  Kf5 Rb7 60. Nd5 1-0   [Event "Exeter vs. Teignmouth"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1997.11.??"]  [Round "6"]  [White "Blackmore, M."]  [Black "Ingham, Bill"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B12"]  [PlyCount "129"]   1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 {OPENING: A modest system leads to a position where White  has a bit more space.} 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Bd3 (5. Be2 {is the fashion - a  good reason for not playing it!}) 5... Bxd3 6. Qxd3 c5 (6... Qa5+ 7. c3 Qa6 {  is a way to reduce tension if Black wants to play it that way.}) 7. O-O Nc6 8.  c3 Qb6 9. Nbd2 Rc8 (9... cxd4 {would prevent the next manoeuvre} 10. cxd4 h5  11. Nb3 Nh6) 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Nb3 Bf8 {rather a sign of distress, but Black  is still OK I think} 12. Bf4 (12. Be3 {looked more natural. With Black's  underdevelopment I was trying to find a way to open up the game with f2-f4,  but hadn't considered c3-c4.} Qc7 (12... Qa6 13. Qxa6 bxa6 14. Nc5) 13. c4 (13.  Bd4 {is the stodgy method}) (13. Nbd4 $5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Qxe5 15. Qb5+ Kd8 16.  Qxb7) 13... dxc4 14. Qxc4 Nxe5 15. Qb5+ Nd7 16. Rac1 Qb8 17. Bxa7) 12... Nge7 {  [#] MIDDLEGAME: White now looks for a chance to upset the course of the game  by direct attack, rather than going for a positional squeeze.} 13. h4 Ng6 14.  Qd2 Nxf4 15. Qxf4 Be7 16. h5 h6 17. Qg3 O-O 18. Nh2 f6 19. Ng4 Nxe5 20. Nxh6+  Kh8 21. Ng4 Nxg4 22. Qxg4 f5 (22... Rc4 {was calmer}) 23. Qd4 Qxd4 24. Nxd4 e5  {[#] EARLY ENDGAME: At first glance this looks very good for Black but White  makes a right nuisance of himself.} 25. Rfe1 e4 (25... Bd6 26. Nf3 {is much  easier for Black.}) (25... exd4 {was worth a look, calling White's bluff: I  think it doesn't win but Black has good chances} 26. Rxe7 dxc3 27. bxc3 (27.  Rxb7 c2 28. Rc1 Rfd8 29. Kf1 d4 30. Ke1 d3 31. Kd2 Rc5 32. Re7) 27... Rxc3 28.  Rxb7 (28. Rd7) 28... Rd8 (28... d4 29. Rd7 d3 30. Rd1) 29. Rxa7 d4) 26. Rad1  Rf6 27. Ne2 Rb6 28. Nf4 Bg5 29. Ng6+ Kh7 30. Rxd5 Rxb2 31. Rxf5 Bf6 32. Rxe4  Rxc3 {[#] When the Rook left the back rank, the mate alert sensor should have  flashed red.} 33. Nf8+ (33. Re8 $18) 33... Kg8 34. Nd7 Rc1+ 35. Kh2 Rc6 36. Rg4  (36. h6 $5 $16) 36... Kh7 37. a4 Rd6 38. Nf8+ Kg8 39. h6 Be5+ 40. Rxe5 Rxh6+  41. Kg3 Rb3+ 42. f3 Kxf8 {[#] Double Rook endings are both more, and less,  drawish than single Rook endings! Here White has an immediate initiative and  wangles a Pawn.} 43. Reg5 Rh7 44. Rc5 a6 45. Rc7 (45. Rc8+ Kf7 46. Rc7+ Kf6 {  was suggested: this does get the Rook to the seventh "with gain of time"  except that ...Kg8-f7-f6 is very useful for Black, escaping from the dangerous  back rank and getting KUFTE}) 45... b5 46. Rd4 Ke8 47. Ra7 bxa4 48. Rxa4 Rh6  49. Rxg7 Rbb6 50. Ra2 {[#]} Rhg6+ {The White King's-side Pawns scamper off  home in the game, but keeping Rooks on doesn't look right because of the  trapped Black King.} 51. Rxg6 Rxg6+ 52. Kf4 Rb6 53. g4 Kf7 54. Ra5 Kf6 55. g5+  Kg6 56. Kg4 Rb4+ 57. f4 Rb6 58. f5+ Kf7 59. Rc5 Rb4+ 60. Kh5 Rb1 61. Rc7+ Kg8  62. Kg6 Rb6+ 63. f6 Rb8 64. Re7 Kh8 65. Rh7+ 1-0