Originally posted by DeepThoughtThanks, but I like to bive my challenger a chance to draw the game... I don't resign... thank you for the critique though, very helpful...
At the end 27. Rf1 looks (I haven't made a careful analysis) like it's neccessary to keep the f-pawn. I'd criticise 4. h3 as the only reason to do it is to stop the bishop going to g4 and black's already committed the bishop to f5. 6. b3 doesn't seem to fullfil any purpose as the bishop never goes to b2 or a3. After 7.g4, which looks suicid ...[text shortened]... chance - all you do by not resigning at that stage is leave yourself playing a depressing game.
The short answer is that you wasted time and failed to play with a plan. In the opening, it is important to quickly bring out your pieces and get them into active play. For almost the entire game, you used only part of your army.
d4 Nf6 Nc3 d5 Nf3 Bf5 h3
Here you start to falter - h3 does not help develop your pieces (knights, bishops, rooks), nor does it force your opponent to defend himself. You should find active squares for your bishops. Bf4 or Bg5 are better choices - planning e3 and Be2 or Bd3.
e6 e3
While e3 does open a line for your king bishop, now the queen bishop is locked in. You would have done better by developing it first, and then playing e3.
Nbd7 b3 c6 g4
You lash out at your opponent, but he has a safe retreat and is hurrying to bring his men into active play. g4 weakens your kingside without benefit.
Bg6 Be2 Be7 O-O
Be2 is good, but for O-O, your castled position has been badly weakened. O-O allows ...h5 to start a dangerous attack.
O-O a4
a4 may be a good idea, if played with the right plan. Your queen bishop appears to be doomed to inactivity on b2, and you could exchange it for the more active bishop on e7. I expect a4 was played to allow Ba3 for this exchange - otherwise a4 is just a wasted move.
Ne4 Nxe4 Bxe4 Ne5
Opening lines for black, who now has a lead in development. Ba3 is better.
Nxe5 de5 f6 ef6 Rxf6 f4
Now that the a1-h8 diagonal is open, the queen bishop can reach active play by Bb2. The pesky rook may move to h6 to attack, but you might be able to hold on: Bb2 Rh6 f3 Bg6 Kg2.
Bd6 g5 Rf8 h4 Qe8 c3 Qf7 b4 Bf5 a5
I'm not sure what the last three pawn moves were for. White desperately needs to get his queen bishop developed and put his queen rook into play.
Bh3 Rf2 e5 Bg4 Bxg4 Qxg4 ef4 ef4
The exchanges here greatly increase your chances of escaping.
c5 b5
While bc5 Bxc5 loses the exchange, white can still get developed by playing Be3. Black may attempt to win a pawn, but active play is more important than material.
Re8 Bd2 Re4
The entire black army is brought to bear on f4. The last chance is Raf1, but this is truly unappetizing.
Originally posted by CuriousShadowI'll finish this analysis by saying that 27. b6?! probably was the losing move; before that move black had a big advantage, though probably not decisive.
The short answer is that you wasted time and failed to play with a plan. In the opening, it is important to quickly bring out your pieces and get them into active play. For almost the entire game, you used only part of your army.
d4 Nf6 Nc3 d5 Nf3 Bf5 h3
Here you start to falter - h3 does not help develop your pieces (knights, bishops, rooks), ...[text shortened]... e black army is brought to bear on f4. The last chance is Raf1, but this is truly unappetizing.
27. h5 followed by 28. g6 would have given white more chances to draw the game.
After 27. b6?! axb6 28. axb6 black could have finished the game nicely with 28. ...c4!, with the threat 29. ...Bc5, attacking b6 and pinning Rf2. If 29. Ra5, then 29. ...Qe7.
Instead of taking this more difficult route to win, black simply moved 28. ...Bxf4? which won a pawn, but led to a drawn endgame.
The moving pawns too much was the big problem for you this game... I don't know if the rest of your game was sound, because your whole tactics in this game was based on moving your pawns as much forward as possible.