Suggestions for breaking a blockade?

Hi, this is the first time I've posted here, so apologies in advance if the game or the comments -- yes I did try to annotate -- are not up to snuff.  

My opponent, despite his low rating, is a very even match with me and he plays considerably less frequently.  We often have long slogging games where long strings of moves go by in which he does what I think is his best move in each case.

In this case, he played a very defensive opening, probably because I punished him badly in our previous game where he got too aggressive.  

I'm curious whether anyone finds a way to close out the game  on the ab files and/or promote the pawn at around move 25.

I eventually won by shifting the attack to the f file, but wondering whether I missed anything or whether anyone has any other suggestions.

"At this point I decided to lock the center since I was way ahead in development."

It's fortunate you made this comment IMO because this is the opposite of what you should do, so now you'll never do it again and probably win some nice games because of it :)  If you're ahead in development you should try to open things up.  Closing the game gives your opponent time to catch up in development.

In the game though, your opponent didn't have any space to develop at all!  So c5 and e5 were not bad moves (although I probably would have just 0-0).

One of the nice things about your c5/e5 is black can't really play b6 because you'd already by eyeing c6 as a backward pawn esp with the enemy queen pinned behind it.  e.g. after 12...b6 you can go cxb with Nb5 (depending on how he re-captures I guess).  But if he recaptures with the queen you have that weakness to target.

18.c6 wins stuff because you have Nd6+

29.Ba5 is trying to be tricky with the discovered attack, but 30...Nxa5 picks up some material for black because he has Nc4+ looming.

Even without the tactic though 29.Rxa8 is the principled move.  In most exchange sac type positions the side with the "unique" rook doesn't want to give it up for one of his opponent's "redundant" rooks.

You shouldn't have been so afraid of him opening the center that you were going to sacrifice material.  I don't understand why you wanted to sacrifice anyway.  36.Rg8 looks very strong.  Even if he wins a pawn on e5 it doesn't matter.

Wafflemaster, thanks for all your comments.

You're right of course about opening up the game if you're ahead in development and I knew that.  On the other hand, I felt that in this case he was so stuffed, I was better off keeping him that way.

"18.c6 wins stuff because you have Nd6+ "  I can't believe I missed this.  I know I looked at it several times.  Really don't know what I was thinking.

"29.Ba5 is trying to be tricky with the discovered attack, but 30...Nxa5 picks up some material for black because he has Nc4+ looming."  

Here I was thinking 31. RxB2+ NxR; 32. RxR and I come out with an even exchange but he's lost his good bishop and his rook.

I agree that 36.Rg8 would have been better.  But as you can see, I got fixated on the ab file breakthrough when I should have just switched the attack to the other side.

Thanks again for your comments!