what the #$%^was he playing and how did he win?

Pins - when you have a piece pinned you need to think how about how you can increase the pressure in order to try and win material.  I have also said in previous posts about the weaker player tendency to liquidate tension too early.

So with this in mind.  Look for a better move on move 13.  Can you see how you could increase pressure on the a4-e8 diagonal rather than liquidate the tension?  What would the result of that be?

Also can you see a better move on move 15?  How can you defend your e4 KNight and increase the pressure on his pinned Nc4?

Either of these improvements would have put the game away.  Can you solve these 2 tactic puzzles in your own game?  What are you going to do in your next game when you have a pin?

When Black took back on c6 with the Queen.  What was he threatening that you both seem to have missed?

@qtko - in your notes to @Somebodysson game you do not mention the much stronger possibilities on move 13, 14 and 15.  Maybe you didn't see - maybe you wanted to leave them alone due to my questions in my previous post but I doubt this as you mention Ne5 and Rc1 without giving the concrete Ne5, Q-moves Nxc6 winning line.

Your comment about the IQP is also very interesting.  "Not the end of the world".  This indicates you need to study some IQP positions because far from being the end of the world it can offer excellent dynamic attacking chances because it affords better central control, open lines and more active pieces.  The IQP only becomes a weakness in the endgame when the attacking potential is weak.  Particularly the player with the IQP wants to avoid exchanging minor pieces as the major piece ending is practically lost.  

But when your a piece up with better development it is hardly worth a comment.  I think you would do well to do this study as it will remove your prejudices about the position.  You need to be happy to play BOTH sides of an IQP.

Strategically - what were you thinking of when you played 21 g5?  What plan of yours was this part of?  Surely you didn't think you could attack with no pieces developed.  To attack as we have mentioned in previous posts needs a piece superiority.  A 1 pawn attack is NEVER going to work.  

You got cramped a bit and your Bishop was not a happy camper stuck behind all the pawns on darks squares.  11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Qc2 would be a much better idea and give you free play.  You put pressure down the c-file on his backward c-pawn  Follow up with a3 and b4 quickly to FIX the weakness.  Then play Bb2 on a nice long diagonal, Na4-c5 and Rc1.  His weakness was the c6 pawn and you should have been thinking how you can FIX it, build up on it and then subsequently win it. 

Allowing Bf5->Bd3 was not a good idea.  You could have played g4 a move earlier and restricted his Bishop.  Note g4 is played to restrict his LSB and gain space not to start a direct attack.  Remember to always try and restrict your opponent's pieces and free your own.  Once you have established better pieces then you can attack.  

Did you think about contesting the open b-file?  remember one of the evauation criteria.  

Good stuff!  Why not 13 Bf3?  winning along the diagonal 3 moves earlier and not giving him time to stop it.

After 13 Qb5 Qxb5 14. cxb5 dxc3 (hitting KNight) 15. Bf3 he can play 15...d5 blocking the diagonal and be up 2 pawns.  It's tough this game :)

I'm glad you won though.  I can sense the improvement coming now...

Notes on your notes:

I didn't actually give the variation like that I gave the white moves only so that you could focus on the general plan.

In your specific line 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Qc2 Qb6?? is a big blunder. Can you see how to win another piece? Clue: there is a deadly move with the Knight to the rim...

Pawns on c6 and d5 are on open files in this position. This means you can aim to blockade them and build up tremendous pressure against them. The c6 pawn is backward on an open file which is particularly vulnerable. So as you build up against it you will tie up all his forces in its defence. This gives you freedom to start probing all over the board and looking for tactical shots as his pieces won't be able to move without losing something.

Don't believe the Knights on the rim are dim saying. It is not true if they are planning to jump to a fairly central square next move. Look how often Black plays Nh5->f4 in Kings Indians etc. Na4->c5 is a typical idea as the Knight is taking the shortest path to a beautiful outpost on the c5 square where it can't be attacked by any enemy pawns.

ON move 19 allowing the B to go to d3 is annoying. It covers b1 which prevents you fighting for the b-file effectively. It also takes away other squares you might want to use if you want to reorganise your pieces. It almost paralyses you so you need to stop it with g4. The Bishop is far less threatening to you on e6 or a6 where it is blocked by his own pawns.

Because you have made it difficult for yourself by allowing the B to d3 to fight for the b-file. Your plan would have to be Ra2, Bc1 and then Rb2. The a-pawn is not worth protecting as it is making your rook bad. Does your rook (worth 5 points when on open files) really want to spend the game sitting behind a pawn on a3. On a1 the rook is probably worth about 2 points so it is better to sacrifice the a-pawn and get your rook in control of the b-file and down to b7 to create some threats. What would your rook say if he could talk? I'm sure it would be “Thanks somebodysson I really needed to get out of that hole. I will make it worth your while” - lol

So you see the 3 Q's and their answers and the ideas you have that come from them are the vital part for 80%+ of your moves.  Raw calculation is only used for about 20%.  But even here the answers to the 3 q's will point you in the right direction of where to search and what is important.  Make sense?  Makes perfect sense. Huge. 

What you will find at lower levels though is that there will more often be a tactic that wins a piece or a pawn because the opponent won't be paying attention to your moves and threats and will be too wrapped up in their own plans.  This is fine though -  you just get to win quicker. Yes. And I will see lots of that at my level, because my opponents make blunders, as I do. That's why I have to get my head crammed with patterns.