Thinking in chess puzzles?

Does anyone else have the problem of looking for combinations to the point of forcing the issue?  When I have a good attack going, a voice in my head tells me that there is a winning combination here ("Black to play and win...").  I want to believe it, so I end up forcing the issue...and screwing it up.  Case in point is the game below - I have a couple of mating threats, but didn't see a way to finish it, then got over-aggressive and blundered it away.  So I'd very much like to know: 1) what Black should be thinking here (able to force mate? material gain? or just look to trade off?) and what you think the best move is in this position; and 2) if you have any thoughts as to how to stop looking at a position and listening to the voice that says "what would Kasparov do here..." because while Kasparov might find the win, I ain't Kasparov...

Please note that the rest of the game doesn't matter - suffices to say that it didn't end well.

OK, fair enough - good advice.  I'll look to trade off when up material and try not to look for the quick and sexy ending.

But for the game above, what should Black do with move 23?  I considered f5, looking to either move the white pawn off f2 or to march it down put more pressure on the g2 square.  But that seemed passive and I didn't want to give white time to wriggle out.  I love his queen stuck on the edge protecting mate at g2, the knight untouchable at e1, and the doubled-rooks on the e file, but what is the best way to capitalize on this positional advantage?  Re2 was tempting, but doesn't really add anything to the attack or give many options for continuation. 

So what's the best move here?

I was looking at 23. ... Re2.  The idea is to restrain White's f pawn since if he pushes it Black can trade Queen for Queen and pawn.  I would look to follow this up by trading the Queens with ... f5 and ... Qg4, and then extracting my Knight from e1 to trade Rooks on the back rank.  The important thing to realize, in my opinion, is that White is basically bottled up and there's almost nothing he can do, so Black is free to maneuver as he sees fit.

What did you play? I wonder if you tried Re3 -- it's a neat idea but it doesn't work as far as I can tell (the easy thing is to put the position in an engine and see what it says, but where's the fun in that) . The idea is:  1....Re3 2.fxe3 Rxe3 3.Qxe3 Qxg2#, (3.Rf3 Rxf3 Black's position looks commanding...) but all of this is moot, the combination fails because White escapes: 1...Re3 Qc8!+ and Black is busted.

But of course, this isn't a Black to play and win situation... you are a piece up and he's without compensation -- you _have_ a won game!   But if your opponent isn't a beginner he's not going to passively let you just exchange down to the win. You have to impose your will. Take away his counterplay, take aways his good squares, keep playing chess. You can't stop playing chess just because you've got a winning/won game! That's how to lose. Looking for the quick kill is fine -- FORCING the quick kill because you just don't think you should be bothered to grind out the win with your extra N is impatient and costs games. Ditto for "I'll look to trade off when up material and try not to look for the quick and sexy ending."  It's not wrong, of course, but it's a lazy plan. If your opponent is any good he won't make it that easy. (Quick and sexy is great if it's sound and wins! Don't take unnecessary chances. If you doubt your calculations, don't play the move.)  What I'm saying is, keep playing solid, aggressive winning chess.  

In the position above you've got control of the only open file. You've got an immediate mate threat that has his Queen tied to defending g2. You've got an extra piece. You hold ALL the cards. Keep squeezing. Improve your position. I might play Kh7 to open the g file for a rook.  If I want to work that Re3 combination, I might try Kg7 (let him initiate the exchange to stop the combination with Qg3... you exchange queens and win a pawn.)  Qg6 looks like a possibility. Qd2 maybe (though I'd be loathe to give up the mate threat.) e5 looks like a nice square for a rook.

I think I'd play Kg7 ... and make him wonder what the hell I'm up to.

Many thanks for your time and ideas here.  I did not consider Kh7, but I like it.  I'd have to extricate the knight from e1 before playing Rg8, but I have time on my side and can play Nf7 first.

JG27 - I did indeed try Re3 (thinking it would lead to - at worst - an exchange of queens and a won game, or mate at g2 if he played Qxe3), but promptly got busted by 24.fxe3 Rxe3 25.g3! Nf3+ 26.Kh1 Nd2 (figured I'd fork the rooks and win the exchange...) 27.Rf5! (...nope) Qg6 28.Rd1 Nb3 (completely away from the action) 29.Rdf1 (who has the doubled rooks now?) Rxd3 (delusions of making the passed d pawn pay off) 30.Rxf6 Qe4+ 31.Qg2 and the initiative is firmly with white.

I completely agree with you when you say:  "But if your opponent isn't a beginner [and he's not] he's not going to passively let you just exchange down to the win. You have to impose your will."  But imposing my will is exactly what I *did* try, and I failed at it miserably, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in spectacular fashion.  Such is life, I suppose. 

I am fairly good at attacking, but not so good at finishing.  What I need to improve on is when I have a superior position, how best to make it pay off.  I guess patience was the best course here, trying to add more threats instead of looking for the coup-de-grace.

Thanks again for your ideas.