Your move 34. g4 was not the way to approach this. You have got to round up that potentially passed pawn on the b-file by playing your rook over there. If both those pawns (a and b) fall, the game is much more drawish. If Black gets a passed pawn and you don't have one, it is bad news.
Your move 41. Rxb4 was fatal. Not a lick of chance for you after that.
I'm no expert, but those are two problem areas: a) allowing a passed pawn, and b) giving up your rook so easily.
13. Bxd7 was an error, you should have played Nd5 or h4. You lost two tempos by initiating the exchange.
17. should be b3. You loss of that pawn was unforced and allowed his knight to come into play.
25. Rxe4 allowed his rook to become active on the d file. You should have played Rd1 and used your king later to take the pawn. e4 pawn was anyway a liability for black. "Rooks are dangerous in open files, especially more if there is only one open file and the opponent controls it."
Moves 26,27: Get you king near the open d file and use your rook to take back the control.
30. Rh3 was a mistake. First you allow his rook to use open file and then you allow his rook to establish its position in the 2nd rank, this clearly leads to a losing position. Did you notice you are using your rook inefficiently by moving it like if were a knight or a bishop. You should have at least played Rf2 aiming for a draw with 30. Rf2 Rd1+; 31. Rf1 Rd3; 32. Rf3 etc
34. g4 was a blunder, you should have played 34. Rb3 Your last hope was to take the b5 pawn and hope that your king would be able to block black pawns on the king side.
fail.
fail.
This comment is completely useless.
As for the game. In rook and pawn endgames, rook activity is extremely important. Your rook got stuck defending a pawn, your opponent's rook was active. He used an open file to penetrate into your position and round up your pawns. An active rook is more important than keeping all your pawns. A lot of rook and pawn endings are draws even when you are down a pawn (and sometimes two!) but if you suffer from an inactive rook, it can be hopeless.
So you had to do something more with your rook than guard the f4 pawn.
27.Kf2 seems reasonable. The king is your second strongest piece. Activate it.
Some strategic points:
1) grab open files with your rooks. On move 25 you grabbed a worthless pawn. You should have grabbed the d-file. At worst he would have contested with his rook, you would trade rooks and had an even game.
2) in the endgame, your king should be an active piece. From move 26 on you had lots of chances to bring it into play. Instead for about a dozen moves it was hiding on the 1st rank or was over on the h-file. You should have moved toward the center (where it could have grabbed the e4 pawn that your rook took). The king could have helped defend your pawns and/or attacked his pawns. Together your king and rook would have been stronger than his rook alone.
3) never trade a rook for a pawn unless there is absolutely no other choice.
4) your efgh pawns could not force a breakthrough against his four pawns. You wasted time and weakened your position.
You made lots of mistakes but listing them wouldn't help you in the next game. The strategy points are the important things to take to future games.
Hey when I gave up my rook I was just hoping to get myself into a stalemate. The game was already done at that point.
I appreciate the points so far. I definitely see the error I made on 25. Rxe4, that will help me in the future I think. Thanks
Hey I need some tips on what I could have done in this endgame. I seem to be making alot of progress in openings and midgames but endgames are hard for me to do good in when it is really even.
http://www.chess.com/livechess/game.html?id=4867735