Your feeling is right you should had at least a draw.
There were some small errors in the beginning,but the game was fine. I want to start from move 32. Rb7 if that is ok. From this position black made a very passive move and you get some chances now. Normally 33. Ra8 entering the 8th line is pretty strong, but in this case i don't think it is the right idea for 2 reasons:
- His king can now centeralize(your rook kept it on the 7th line).
- Attacking the pawns on the other side by the 8th line doesn't work so well because after for example ..Kc6 the black rook defends the f- pawn anyway and later the g-pawn too. So i think it is a waste of a tempo.
33 .. rc7 (black gets the time to make his rook active now). A lot of rook end games are draws, but it is important to make sure you have the active rook and you force the opponent rook to pasivity then you have a good chance to win these kinds of games.
34 Ke3 ( i don't think this is good now you loose a pawn unneeded) a better alternative is h4 and when he plays Rc2 you can play Kg3(the a pawn is already defended by the rook so).
34 .. Rc2
35 Ra7 Ke8(a horrible move, i think the theory says the 7th line is absolute and especially with a possible passed pawn white has good chances). Ke6 should be played.
39. Rd5 why give up the a pawn ? The 2 connected passed paws are unstoppable and it is 100% a win. Correct is i think Kf4 with the idea to put the king on g3 so to stop the black pawns and meanwhile you promote with the 2 passed pawns).
40 Rd3 you give away your last chance to win. Always consider when you trade a piece if it is better for you or your opponent. Now without the rooks his king will stop your pawn and his 3 other pawns will beat your f pawn.
Even if you try to play 42 Ke4 to try to get his pawns you cannot get them, the row of 3 pawns is unbeatable you cannot get one because the h pawn will just promote.
I think it was a nice game.
Hey folks - I'm wondering what my chances were to win or at least draw this game, especially around moves 21 and 29, and the rook and pawn endgame. When we went evenutally reached the rook and pawn endings, it seemed like I committed many weak moves and gave the game away.
Please feel free to critique my play in this game so I can learn from it.