46.Ne6 is the best practical decision . Why ?- Firstly -You are ATTACKING! Secondly-in this case Your Knight is ,of course, better ,than his Bishop.and last ,but not "least"-after 46.Ne6 -Your line is SIMPLE and EASY (not complicated)-it is very important in practical game.Complications are better to leave to Your opponent.

Sure, I went for 46.Ne6 and my opponent eventually blundered, due to tiredness I think.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It feels like I've underestimated the importance of the cut king in the rook endgame.

can you show us how the game? especially how it ended

It seems that Black holds the draw also after 1.Ne6 Rg8 2.g5 Bg4 3.Nc5+ Ka7 4.Ne4 Bf5 5.Nd6 Rxg5 6. Rc7+ Ka6 7.Rc6+ Ka7 8.Nxf5 Rxf5 9.e4 Re5 10.Rc4 Ka6 11.Kxa4 Kb6.......

I would play 1. Nxf3 Rxf3, 2. Kxa4 Rg3, 3. Rc4 Rxe3, 4. Kb5

@Alex : yes the critical rook endgame line is the one analyzed by greencastle. I think the other variations in the rook endgame are quite easy to play and draw as black.

Actually, I'm not interested that much in the objective evaluation of the different variations (I think Black can draw), but more in the practical decision of going or not into the rook endgame, and what would lead player to choose this path rather than another.

During the game, I assessed the rook endgame as drawn (although not at all for the right reasons, more a case of incomplete knowledge as I thought the front defence was an easy draw here), but analysis show that it's a kind of borderline case and the draw is not trivial - see greencastle's analysis (thank you for taking the time to look at all these lines)

I have analyzed the rook endgame.  It's a draw, but it is not trivial.

You have a point there. Perhaps 46. Rc4 is also a clear draw. Well then, does White have any chances to win? I don't think so. One more thing I found out: 46. Nxf3 Rxf3 47. Kxa4 Rg3 48. Rc4 Rxe3 is also a draw because if Black can get in ...Rg3 then White's king will have no way over, while if 49. g5 then 49...Rg3 50. Rc5 Kb6 just draws.

Alex, yes sorry, my bad

46.Rc4 Be2 idea Rg8 -

@gei07091 - The big problem is that cutting off the king two files only wins if the pawn is on the fourth rank; when it's on the third Black's rook has enough room in front of the pawn.

Take the pawn and free up the king and see where it goes from there.

Just Nxf3 and white is winning because the king is cut off then is just promoting the e pawn

Black has to deal with the bishop on f3 before doing anything like 46...Rg8.

Hi Alex, thank you for your input. I didn't consider 46.Rc4 during the game - can't black try and force the liquidation with 46...Rg8 though ?

During the game, I thought the rook endgame after 46...Nxf3 was drawish, but in post-mortem, I realized this wasn't as simple as I thought. That's why I'm interested to see how other players assess the various options here.

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Alex, it seems you are right. White has trouble achieving a winning position after Nxf3.

I'm not so sure White is winning after 46. Nxf3 Rxf3 47. Kxa4 Rg3 48. Kb3 Rxg4 49. Kc2 Rg8. White has two options here: Kd3 and e4. If 50. Kd3, then  50...Rd8+ 51. Ke2 Kb6 looks like a draw as White won't have time to get in Rc4 and e4. If 50. e4, then 50...Rc8 is an easy draw.

I believe White's best try is 46. Rc4 because the two pawns must be maintained for White to have any chances to win, and I don't see any other serious options, as 46. Ne6 Re8 47. Rc7+ Kb6 48. Rf7 Rxe6 49. Rxf3 Re4+ is certainly not the way to go. I'd rate White as keeping some chances to win, but in practice I think Black will most likely hold the draw.

Hi pratik, thanks for sharing your thoughts !

May I ask what makes you think that the position after Nxf3 wins easily ? Is that because the black king is cut off as kamalankata said ?

I also believe Nxf3 wins, because the Black king is cut-off from the kingside.