[Event "Koelle 'A'"]
[Site "Mechanics Institute"]
[Date "2023-11-23"]
[White "van Riel,Bas"]
[Black "Cook,Patrick"]
[WhiteElo "1725"]
[BlackElo "1520"]
[Result "0-1"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 O-O 8.Bd3 f5 9.exf6 Rxf6 10.Bg5 Rf7 {(BvR) This is about the third consecutive time that we played this (rare) Winawer variation of the French opening.} 11.Qh5 g6 12.Qd1 Qa5 13.Bd2 Nbc6 {So far it's all theory...I played my moves instantly and was 30 minutes ahead on the clock! (P.C.)(P.C.)} 14.c4?! {(BvR) I was out of my depth since move 11, spending (too) much time remembering and finding a plan. By sacrificing a pawn at this point, Pat's compromised kings position and my pair of bishops, I decided to open the position to go for a kings-side attack. At hindsight, it would be better to proceed first by playing 14.Nf3.} Qc7 15.c3 cxd4 16.cxd4 Nxd4 17.Rc1 Qe5+ 18.Ne2 Nxe2 19.Bxe2 d4 20.O-O Nc6 {+0.3} 21.Bf3?! {-0.4} Qf6 22.Re1?! Ne5 23.Be4 {-1.5} Qxf2+ 24.Kh1 Nc6?! {24...Qf6 is better. (P.C.)} 25.Bg5! {+1.0} Qb2 {+1.5} 26.Rf1! Rxf1+ 27.Qxf1 Qxa3 {+2.1} 28.c5! {+3.3} Bd7 29.Bh6! {+3.5} Rc8? {5.1} 30.Qf6?? {After the game, Bas suggested 30.h3...but it allows 30...Qg3 31.Qf6 Qe5!! and Black escapes (P.C.);  The engine shows 30.Qf2!, threatening checkmate after 31.Rf1, hence 30...Qxc1 would have been forced, easily winning for white. Equally winning after first 30.Bxc6, followed by 31.Kg1 (not h3) and 32.Qf6.        
30.Qf6 deserves at least 2-3 question-marks, after a nice and forced winning sequence, whilst Pat deserves at best one exclamation mark (not two), to indicate that he had seen the threat of a checkmate and found the only move to prevent it. 
Patrick and I have had a long history (40 years?) of mostly very interesting and challenging games. This game was no exception, and despite the horrible blunder at the end, I enjoyed every minute of it. The sad loss was somewhat tempered, knowing that Patrick did once did accept my (probably only ever) draw-offer in a completely winning position. (BvR).} Qxc1+! 31.Bxc1 Rf8 {White has to give back the Q for R, and Black is winning the endgame...(P.C.)} {#R}