An Ending to Analyze

This is an instructive ending to play around with. It’s from one of my games played back in 1971.  I am Black and my opponent was rated, it memory serves, about 2300 and he later went on to gain his IM title.  My feeling was that I was going to draw, but take a look at the position and see if you can find a plan for White that offers him winning chances.

He played 23.Kf3 which was the beginning of a plan to occupy b6! A few moves later we reached this position and I still did not appreciate the danger I was in.

 

I should have retreated the K and kept the N on, but I reasoned that after 26…Nxg3 things would be ‘simplified’ and the draw guaranteed.  Wrong!  I needed the N for ‘tempo purposes.’  We soon reached this position.

It’s clear that after White plays 32.a5 White will run his K to the K-side but I can hold him off.  Unfortunately then, because he has more Pawn moves available, he can run me out of moves and my K will have to give way allowing him to win easily.  It is an instructive position to mess around with.