Nice win and interesting analysis Andy! After 37... a4, my instinct would be to play 38. Bd5+, then 39. b4 keep pawns on the board, and target the b-pawn. Did you look at this? If Nd3 we can play Bd2, or if Na6 we can play a3. Admittedly without deep analysis, but it seems like Black will have trouble keeping the b-pawn.
Definitely possible. My sense of 38 Bd5+ Kh7 39 b4 Nd3 40 Bd2 is that black just plays 40 ... b6 and I'm not sure that the b-pawn is so easy to round up. I was also concerned that leaving the a4 pawn alive gives black some chances for counterplay, although I don't see an easy path for the black rook to enter the game. Yet another position that I'm not entirely sure about.
I mostly remember it because I screwed up a good position, turned down a draw, screwed up a drawn position, had a draw turned down, and then lost. The tragedy of it all seared it into my memory.
The point of the bathroom move is to at least do something quickly - in this game I burned about seven minutes before I realized I had no idea what to do. That's when having a set of questions in mind to ask oneself is useful: "What would my opponent do if it was his move", "What's my worst placed piece", etc etc.
Definitely, both in chess and in any other field - as a history teacher we talk a lot about the need for productive struggle. Sadly, it had been a long time since I'd done any really serious analysis without consulting an engine at some point in the process, probably because the allure of the "right answer" is so hard to break.
Nice win and interesting analysis Andy! After 37... a4, my instinct would be to play 38. Bd5+, then 39. b4 keep pawns on the board, and target the b-pawn. Did you look at this? If Nd3 we can play Bd2, or if Na6 we can play a3. Admittedly without deep analysis, but it seems like Black will have trouble keeping the b-pawn.
Definitely possible. My sense of 38 Bd5+ Kh7 39 b4 Nd3 40 Bd2 is that black just plays 40 ... b6 and I'm not sure that the b-pawn is so easy to round up. I was also concerned that leaving the a4 pawn alive gives black some chances for counterplay, although I don't see an easy path for the black rook to enter the game. Yet another position that I'm not entirely sure about.
Glad to have helped calm your nerves, but I frankly don't remember our game.
I mostly remember it because I screwed up a good position, turned down a draw, screwed up a drawn position, had a draw turned down, and then lost. The tragedy of it all seared it into my memory.
Congrats on the win! and your yeoman analysis was insightful. 👍🏽
The point of the bathroom move is to at least do something quickly - in this game I burned about seven minutes before I realized I had no idea what to do. That's when having a set of questions in mind to ask oneself is useful: "What would my opponent do if it was his move", "What's my worst placed piece", etc etc.
Definitely, both in chess and in any other field - as a history teacher we talk a lot about the need for productive struggle. Sadly, it had been a long time since I'd done any really serious analysis without consulting an engine at some point in the process, probably because the allure of the "right answer" is so hard to break.