Interesting!! Black played by principle here (capturing inward), but it is wrong in this position. 33. ...exd4 would have created a much stronger passed pawn duo with support. White would still have the advantage but it would have been a closer game.

Very much a judgement call. In thinking about such an exchange (...exd4), I might have been concerned about the mobility of White's e- and f-pawns, and Black's hanging pawn triplet would look a tad vulnerable, for mine. Against that, taking 'towards the centre' leaves White's Q-side pawns passed and mobile. I'm not sure what I would have played, but I might well have played as in the game.

34.Qf1? What was that! You now have two passed pawns in a duo structure. Pushing them creates enormous pressure on an opponent. Here it would be pushed to the breaking point and an almost assured easy win. 34.b4 is the solid move. ***** 35.Bd3 would have prevented the pawn movement and opened up the file for your rook.

White wanted to get the Queens off: Black to keep them on. Rather than invite exchanges, Joanne, you need to force them.

36. ... Rc8 was another mistake on Black's part. His primary problem is stopping those two white pawns. The only reason to make such a rook move is to think he has a chance at success with a King-side attack. I don't think so.

Too little too late. It's actually a mistake that loses faster. Believe it or not, 37. ... Rb8 would have been much better.

With the passed pawns, the column is no longer all that important. Push the pawn along the b file. There is little stopping the duo now that Black moved the rook to c8. Note also that Black's minor pieces are trapped on the wrong side of the board for defense.

Actually, I like this bishop move: it inhibits any possible ...d5 break. Sooner or later the bishop might advance further to d5 - a fine square. As far as advancing the passed pawns are concerned, though, lighttotheright is correct: that has to be high on the agenda - top even - right now. The moves played have to be seen in the light of preparing that advance, though such preparation was probably unnecessary.

Push the a and b file pawns, push the pawns, push the pawns! You're letting him attack you. Often the best defense is a good offense.

i agree

White is unnecessarily offering Black counterplay. Heisman argues that when you are ahead, 'think defence'. But he doesn't mean 'act defensively'! He just means push your advantage but keep an even warier eye out for tactical shots. Joanne, your eye is perhaps too wary, here. Black is straining every nerve to attack, sure, but it was going to take time to develop. Meanwhile, had you, even as late as move 39, started shoveling Q-side pawns, you would, at worst, had plenty time to defend once the enemy attack looked to get some traction; or you would have forced Black to abandon the attack altogether to hold back the pawns.

Aaaawww... (sniff)...

Good sacrificial exchange. It was the only way to assure a win at that point.

Well done. Queen endings stand or fall by who has a passed pawn. Black can not save the e-pawn, whereat White's d-pawn is decisive.

No risk: this square is best. But you are right to consider the likely consequences of moving to this or that square. It can be absolutely critical. But now the BQ has no checks, and after 60.Kh4 Qf2 61.d8=Q Qh2+ 62.Qh3 will again have no checks. At that point Black will have to give up his queen just to stave off a quick mate.

60...Qf8 might have lasted a move or two longer: 61.Qg5+ Kh7 (61...Kf7 62.Qf4+ and exchange Queens; 61...Kh8 62.Qe4+ etc) 62.Qe4+ Kg7 (62...Kg8 63.Qe8 etc.) 63.Qe4+ and either promote the d-pawn at once, or, if the King goes to f7, I would probably play (63...Kf7) 64,Qf4+ Ke7 65,Qxf8+ Kxf8 66.d8=Q+ etc.

A very neat finish to bring down the curtain. Black has to let his Q go, at that. The threat is 63.Qg4+ Kf7 64.Qg8#. An entertaining game, Joanne, maybe a bit overcautious at times (made up for by your opponent's lack of caution at critical moments), but I don't think at any stage were you at any serious disadvantage, even when it seemed for a few moves that your opponent had the initiative. Incidentally, I thought Black didn't play too badly on the whole, either.