When Does The Tide Turn?

This game from yesterday evening seemed quite interesting. Play was reasonably fast, and for a change we recorded the moves as played. I'm suspecting that I see a pattern emerging in my successful defences. I will have to suppress that immediately.

JD deserves a medal for spirited play - he's always determined to battle on even when all hope is lost. I tend to resign in disgust once I suffer a fatal blow. His move 28. Rf1 to extend the game was, in my view, inspired - I didn't see any way out of mate in two. 31. Nd1? was a blunder - but we went back and explored several other scenarios (most starting with the no-nonsense exchange 31. Rxh1, Rxh1) but in all of the alternatives black developed a definitive advantage.

This started our speculating about the crucial moment at which the tide turns in a game. In our games it always seems to have been earlier than either player consciously realises. I guess that a key skill of master players is early perception of the small, apparently insignificant configurations that lay the foundations of victory.