I see a line which is a lot better for black than what was played taking advantage of the SERIOUS blunder 37. Re2:

              37. . . g4

38. hxg   hxg

and the king must abandon the rook, leaving it to be taken.

broze wrote:

I see a line which is a lot better for black than what was played taking advantage of the SERIOUS blunder 37. Re2:

              37. . . g4

38. hxg   hxg

and the king must abandon the rook, leaving it to be taken.

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 Right! I didn't see it. I had so clear the idea of promoting that pawn and get the white king away from that area that I even didn't consider other options.

Heh, I know what you mean, once you see you can win what's the point in looking at other lines!!

Both are good lessons for me, Freecat and Broze.  The annotations were exceptionally helpful, Freecat.  Thank you both.

RV

The Rook loses much of its power if it attempts to prevent the advance of a pawn from in front of the pawn.  The best way to use the Rook in the endgame against an advancin pawn is to go to attack the pawn from the rear and not from in front.

So, instead of 26.Rc1 would 26.Re7 intending 27.Rc7 not be better?

Yes it's a good lesson. But it was foolish of white to trade rooks that willingly.
In most situations: don't trade if you're behind on material.

I think 25.Re7!? is a serious alternative here. A typical line is 26.Re7 Rxb2 27.Rd1 Rxa2 28.Rdd7 Rf8 (else Rxf7 and perpetual) 29.Rxb7 a5 30.Rec7 (30...Rc2 31.Ra7) picking up a pawn and getting the rook behind the remaining one. Draw. Black can possibly improve with 29..c5 to get a pair of rooks off and have the rook behind the passer, but white should hold that too.

You're right in that you shouldn't lose pawns for no compensation, but the seventh rank is a good enough reason, especially compared to the passive game white gets after 25.Rb1. Rook activity is often worth a pawn in these endings.

a6 seems like a waste.  Why not Rd8?  Rc1 also seems like a waste.  Why double rooks on that file? 

 

I prefer Rd8 to Re8.  34... the pawns dont need defending.  I think d3 would be a better square for the black rook.