31. ... Ra1+ forces white's knight back onto d1, a poor square for it. There'd then follow 32. ... Nxg3+ 33. PxN QxP+ 34. Kh1 RxN+, winning. If instead 33. Qg2, RxN is mate.

@cdeburca I think you have misread the position, the White Knight cannot reached d1 so there block from that piece, the Black Knight will not give a King check if as you say 32...Nxg3+, and perhaps you confusion continues with mixing algebraic and other notations.

The queen cannot go to a8 .

32 Rc1? would 32.Qxa8+ be advantageous to White? After Edit: @thereaper Thanks, I don't know what I was looking at.

On the contrary, it gets the queens off the board, which may well make it easier for white to realise his passed b-pawn. Not every check that doesn't lead to mate is a nuisance check!

Way too simplistic an analysis, jkarp. Though material would be level, the swap would be very important because three pawns and a knight have different characteristics. In particular, the extra pawns may make it easier to promote and win the game, or white's exposed king may cause problems.

In this position it does matter because he can win Black's knight afterwards.

This capture is forced. Pity.

How is he going to play Nh6#?!?!

Thanks for showing the game. White Rook can tie the King down to defending a pawn, Black Rook could stay on his seventh rank and restrict the King. So the difference is the Knight hopping around picking off pawns or moving the King so that the Rook can pick off pawns. Black plan is target the two last White pawns and then trade Rooks. As opponents get closer together the Knight can fork. But I believe it is a won game for White. Your league doesn't have to record moves into the last 10 minutes? that's luxury.

I think it is a standard rule in England

@jkarp: he's a point down (a knight for two pawns), not a piece up.

Isn't the rule usually that you stop recording once you get down to your last five minutes? Though England always was quite contrary with following international rules (in anything; not just chess)! Interesting game though; always watch out for the zwischenzug...