Thoughts on improving in this game?

This game was played over the weekend in a G/90 tournament. I welcome all comments and harsh criticism.

Dussseldorf(1810 USCF) - 1822

G/90

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bg5 0-0 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 b6 8.Be2 Bb7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.b4 c5 12.bxc5 bxc5 13.0-0

I was the first to deviate from book with this move, 13.Rb1 is the normal move. My move seems to give him a free move.As the book move is usually met by 13...Bc6 which prevents the Knight from developing at c6 and pressuring d4.

13...Nc6 14.Rb1 Bc8 15.Qa4 Ne7 16.Rfd1

16.Rfc1 would have been better. For some reason I really got hung up on the idea that I must be able to recapture with a piece on d4 after he plays cxd4 so as to maintain his isolated pawn. The rook also puts pressure on d5, but I doubt I will ever get the chance to play dxc5 when it counts. After 16.Rfc1 I am not sure how he should continue: A.16...Bd7 17.Bb5 and after the exchange of bishops his light squares will be weak on the queenside, B. 16...cxd4 17.Nxd4 is good for white, and C. 16...c4 is met by 17.e4 when white has a much better position. In all these positions it seems that white's pieces are very active and will most likely penetrate to black's seventh.

16...Bd7 17.Qa3

The queen turns out to be a little out of play on this square. The main intention of this move is to force him to take on d4, which brings my knight to an ideal square and gives me the better structure. In hindsight this might not be very important. 17.Bb5 Bxb5 18.Rxb5 cxd4 19.Nxd4 and Rb7 to follow or Nce2 to f4, black's light squres are really weak.

17...cxd4 18.Nxd4 Qc7 19. Bf3

Now we both have bishops that are really useless. Maybe mine gives extra protection to my king?

19...Be6 20.Rb5

Allowing white to double on the b-file with a gain of time. 20.Ncb5 Qd7 21.Rdc1 and either 21..a6, 21...Rb8 or 21....Rc8 all allow a Rook to penetrate to the c7 square. Note that 21...Rc8 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Rc1 to c7. Black must guard his a pawn.

20...Rfd8 21.Rc5 Qd7

Now my position becomes a little awkward.

22.Ra5 Bxd4! 23.exd4 Rdc8 24.Na4 Qd8 25.Nc5 Nc6 26.Rb5 Qf6 27.Nb3 ?!

27.Qd3 was probably better, but now the position equalizes.

27...Qg5 28.Qd6 Ne7. 29.Nc5 Rc6 30.Rb8+ Rxb8 31.Qxb8+ Kh7 32.Qxa7 Bg4 33.Qa3 Rg6 34.Qd3 Nf5 35.Bxg4 Qxg4 36.g3 Nh4 37.f4? Qxf4?? 38.Qxg6+ 1-0

I was low on time. I miss calculated at the end when I played f4, which was a bad move because it completely exposes my king to an attack from the left flank.

nice game, yes Rfc1 was better and yes f4 is a mistake.