Notwithstanding that I was at one point up a bishop for a pawn in this game until the horrible blunder at 20..Ne4??, I ended up in a minor peice endgame with my opponent having a decided advantage. I was thinking that I could somehow preserve a draw if i played it right. (Was I out of my mind even thinking this?)

I believe my second terrible blunder was at 38..Bd5 where this diagram starts. Now my reasoning for this move was kind of a rote idea in "Ahh..one should use minor piece to block passed pawn" Just kind of implememting a chess concept rather than executing any sort of plan.

Am I correct in thinking that 38..Be6 would have made all the differnce in the world? For it prevents(at least in the short term) the Knight from getting to c5.

It seems to me once the horse got to c5 my game was shot. I couldn't believe how much the knight kicked my behind being on that square.

So my questions are is 38..Be6 the correct move and was there any way of saving this game once Nc5 happened?

Why did black play 9...Bf5 when he could have played Bxc3+?

Darn it!

Of course! 33...b4!  *smacks head*

Geez..never saw it. I think I was just so focused on being defensive that being able to possibly win wasn't even in my head at that point.

Oh well. That's why they say you learn much more from your losses. Just got to keep studying.

Thanks for the analysis tonydal. I appreciate it.

Ohhh yeah. Another missed opportunity.

So you're saying 9...Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Qxc3+ 11. Kf1 and black wins a pawn and messes up white's chance to castle?

I'm still in that stage where I come upon middlegame positions where I haven't a clue what to do next. The reasoning behind 9...Bf5 I suppose was developing a piece, exerting more control over e4, preparing to castle long should I choose that.

I obviously didn't look hard enough for a weakness in my opponents position. Thanks for pointing that out RainbowRising.