Tight game

I would like any comments you have on this game. Altough I actually won, It was very close, adn I think if my opponent made the right moves in the endgame with his king, I would have lost. More specifically:

- Did I trade pieces too willingly?

- Was the offering of his knight willingly (a trap)? It gave me an advantage in pieces, but position-wise the period after was very difficult.

- How could I have taken more control of the game (I lost it after the initial say 15 moves I think)

As said, any comments are welcome.

• it's an even match until move 19, when your oponet blunders, failing to move or protect his knight. this gives you momentum that you don't fully ever capitalize on, instead giving him oportunity to build to recover.
• the pawn sequences at moves 28-30 don't help you. instead of trading, and leaving the check on the open rook file i'd have just moved ahead to b4. to each their own, i suppose.
• where were you going with 33. e5? looks like that gives up some of your momentum. Ne2 keeps the pressure on better, giving you d4. also when he didn't sacrifice with 34. Rxc4+, i would have moved my other rook into play with 35. Re4, instead of the trade, which puts you in check again. he could have kept it up with 36. Rb5+ too. whatever, you're still ahead.
  
• the king move at 38 does nothing but open up the check. why not Nd3 to move another peice into the center board.
• ok, you move the knight a few moves later, offering the trade. that's fine, but you get mixed up in the ensuing pawn race. had your openent backed up his forward pawn properly with 43. e4, instead of racing in alone, things would have been interesting.
• he tries to save the pawn too late, and blunders. once you have a clear path for your pawn(s) to advance, it should be game over. 47. c4 would have done it earlier.
• why he doesn't kill the knight at 48 is anyones guess. 49.Kg1 is just silly. game over.
  

Nice

You played solidly through the opening and early middle game.  I agree with Loomis, giving away Black's knight was a blunder.  

I also agree that with 21 f3 and 23 h4 you trapped your own rook.  A better option to activate your Kingside rook would be 21. e5 and if 22... dxe5  23. Rxc6 and the rook is very active on the queenside.  

Also, instead of 33. e5 there is a great outpost for the Knight at e6.  Black has no good moves so you have plenty of time for the sequence Nc1 - e2 - d4 - e6 and the Knight can't be dislodged and will be a huge thorn for Black to deal with.

38. Kc4 Rc5+ lets him get his central pawns moving.  Better was 38. Nd3 to activate your Knight with pressure on the e-pawn to keep the d-pawn fixed.

40. Nd3 loses a knight and the game to 40... Rb5+  41. Ka4  dxe4  42. Kxb5 exd3 and after 43. cxd3 g5 Black will queen the h-pawn first and win.  Better is 40. Ra4.  Fortunately Black missed this but still won another pawn.

43 Nd2 also gives Black the game.  Black should have responded 43... e4 (f2 is a big error) and the connected passed pawns will march to the win.  43. Ng3 lets White fight for a draw. 

Kd4 at move 45 or 46 keeps Black's King tied to defence of the e-pawn and away from your h-pawn.  It also frees the c-pawn to advance.

47. c4 makes Black chase the racing c-pawn while you clean up his Kingside pawns.  47. Nh2+ should have lost after 47... Kg2 48. Ke2 Kxh2  49. Kxf2 Kh3 after which Black can catch the c-pawn and Black's extra pawn wins.  But Black blundered with 48... e3 and you finished him off nicely.

47. Nh2+ busted him. I originally thought it was a mistake. Well done!

47. c4 yields a similar result but yours is better.

Have been mostly gone for a few days, so only able to check now. Thank you, all who made the remarks, some are eye-openers. I'll take my time and look at them well.

thanks again. 

Now, from the beginning... 

13. Bxd6 allows him to repair his pawn structure, the damaged pawn structure being the only benefit from 5. Bxc6

17. Kb1 why?

19. ... b5 looks losing to me.  He 'sacrifices' the N with tempo!

23. h4 allows the R to be imobilized.  Rg4 instead and you're ok. 

33. e5 reactivates your R. Good one.  You've been playing several turns down a R.

37. or 38. Nd3 would help keep his R constrained

You won-that is the ultimate reward friend...

Well, that wraps it up for sure ;) Thanks!