Decisions

I had Black and the sense that I was winning.

Black to move

48...Rxg3??=

This failure threw away the win. 

48...f4! was the key move. Black also could have played 48...Kg7 with a later f5-f4.

49.Kf6 Kh7 50.Rc7+ Kh6 51.Rc8 Kh7 52.Rc7+ Kg8

To avoid the repetition, Black's king must go on a journey. Black still believes that he is winning.

53.Kxg6

Black to move

White has a passed pawn and threatens checkmate. Black has three passed pawns. Are they enough?

53...Kf8=

Only move

54.h5 Rh3 55.h6 g3 56.Rf7+

Only move

56...Ke8

Only move

57.Rxf5 g2

White to move

58.Rg5

58.Re5+ was the other possibility, but then Rg5 would be necessary.

58...Rh2 59.h7 b4 60.Kg7

Now, I had the suspicion that I was about to lose. After some thought and feelings of desperation, I reasoned that two pawns on the seventh rank would be a lot of trouble for White's rook and I saw that the b-pawn was close enough.

60...b3

A draw could be had with 60...Kd7 61.h8Q Rxh8 62.Kxh8 Kc6 63.Rxg2 Kb5 and White's king is too far away to help the rook against Black's last pawn.

61.h8Q+ Rxh8 62.Kxh8 b2

White to move

Two connected passed pawns one square from promotion are more than a rook can handle, but these pawns are separated.

63.Rg8+??

63.Re5+ Kd7 64.Re1 and White holds

63...Kf7-+ 64.Rg7+ Kf6 65.Rxg2 b1Q

White to move

66.Kg8?!

White steps into an elementary checkmate in four.

66.Rf2+ makes a game of it. Queen vs. rook is a technical win, but often a very difficult win.

66...Qb3+ 67.Kh7 Qh3+ 68.Kg8 Qxg2+ 69.Kh8 Qg7#

There are some lessons here for both sides.