Not a bad call, but in your variation, <26...Rxa4> wins for Black as the White Knight is hanging after <27. Rc7>. If <27. Kg1> threatening <28. Rc7> then simply <27...Kg7> and Black is threatening to take the Knight or play the rook to b4 or f4.

Though white can avoid the hanging knight by playing 26. b3, I missed that Qc6 after Rc2+ threatens mate!

The only way to resurrect the whole thing is to play instead 25. Kg1 (the fork Ne4+ was threatened and also, if 25...Qc6 26. Rac1).

The position here is complex but I think very much favours white.

Welcome back to chess and especially welcome to this place. I hope you enjoy yourself! This is certainly a chess site with a difference.

<The only way to resurrect the whole thing is to play instead 25. Kg1 (the fork Ne4+ was threatened and also, if 25...Qc6 26. Rac1).>

The entrenched pawn on d6 is certainly a headache, but one that can be dealt with as it doesn't have to tie down Black's pieces. After <25. Kg1> White can retain his Knight with <25...Ne4>.

Alternatively, after <25...Qc6 26. Rac1>, Black could play <26...Rc2 27. Rxc2 Qxc2 28. Rd2 Qc5+ 29. Kh2 Nd7> and the pawn is now blockaded with the Knight and the queen is rampant:

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I think this is a matter of technique for Black to mop up, as White has too many vulnerabilities to protect. Say for example <30. Nc3> threatening <31. Rd5>. Black has moves like <31...f6>, <31...Qb4>, and even <31...e4>.

If <31...Qb4>, then White's just about paralysed:

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The Bishop has only one move to e3, (32. Be7 Qf4+ picks up the rook), the Rook is more or less confined to its square protecting both the second rank and the pawns on b2 and d6, and the Knight has to protect the a-pawn. Most importantly, White has no way of advancing the d-pawn.

White has the advance of the king side majority including a central passed pawn with which to further squash White, eg:

After 25...Qc6 26. Rac1 Rc2 27. Rxc2 Qxc2 white would play 28. Rc1. The move 28. Rd2 is a mistake that lets black off the hook by letting him win a tempo with the check 28...Qc5+. This position is clearly lost for white.

After 25...Ne4 26. Be7 white plans to
exchange rooks (perhaps after b3) and put his rook on c7.

The position is very complex. For example after 25...Qc6 26. Rac1 Rc2 27. Rxc2 Qxc2 28. Rc1 then 28...Qd3 29. Rc3 is interesting.

But there are so many variations in this position after 25. Kg1 that there is required heavy analysis preferably with a chess engine ( which I don't have).

You're welcome! It's nice to have a debate over analysis. It's surprisingly rare here for my taste, so this is good fun.

<After 25...Qc6 26. Rac1 Rc2 27. Rxc2 Qxc2 white would play 28. Rc1. The move 28. Rd2 is a mistake that lets black off the hook by letting him win a tempo with the check 28...Qc5+. This position is clearly lost for white.>

The only problem with <28. Rc1> is <28...Qxa5> and Black is winning easily.

<After 25...Ne4 26. Be7 white plans to exchange rooks (perhaps after b3) and put his rook on c7.>

But if <26...Ng3 27. b3 Rc2 28. Rc1 Ne2+> wins.

Alternatively <26...Ng3 27. Kh2 Nf5 28. Rac1 Rc6 29. Bg5 f6 30. Bd2 Qd8 31. Na7>:

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<31...Rxc1 32. Bxc1 Nd4 33. Nb5 Nxb5 34. axb5 Qd7 35. b3 Kf7 36. Ba3 e4>:

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Now if <37. Rc1 Qxb5 38. Rc7+ Ke8> and White is not in the race, especially after the b-pawn falls, and Black has three extra pawns including three passed pawns, two of which are connected.

The point I reckon here is that White can't elevate the d-pawn and the queen side pawns are very vulnerable. Even with the Black Queen blockading the d-pawn, the active King and the king side majority with the e-passer is a winner.