Adventures from the ODCL - How To Play The Endgame? Well the league restarted after the Christmas break this week and here's much of my latest effort with a couple of questions afterwards - I haven't shown the whole game for reasons that I hope will become clear. For background I'm rated 139 ECF (~1750 ELO) and my opponent is 156 (~1870 ELO) and the time control is 90 minutes each for all moves, though time was not a factor in this game.

[Event "League"]
[Site "UK"]
[Date "2016.01.20"]
[White "Ian Bush"]
[Black "A.N.Other"]
[WhiteElo "1750"]
[BlackElo "1870"]
[Result "*"]
[FEN ""]

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nc6 4.Nf3 d3 5.Bxd3 d6 6.h3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Qd2 Qc7 
9.O-O h5 10.c4 Be6 11.Nc3 a6 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.cxd5 Ne5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.f4 
Bg7 16.Rac1 Qd7 17.Qc2 Nf6 18.f5 gxf5 19.Rxf5 h4 20.Qf2 Rc8 21.Rf1 Bh6 22.
Bxh6 Rxh6 23.e5 dxe5 24.Rxe5 Qd6 25.Qf4 Qb6+ 26.Kh1 Qxb2 27.d6 e6 28.Rxe6+
fxe6 29.Qxh6 Kd7 30.Qxf6 Qxf6 31.Rxf6 Kxd6 *


So

1) What do you think of my play so far? I'm relatively pleased, my only major disappointment is due mainly to blood lust (Rooks don't go backwards!!) I didn't see 28 Re2 which wins, but comments are appreciated

2) End games are my weakness and I ended up drawing this one. How should white go about things from the final position? What principles should I be applying?
End games are my weakness and I ended up drawing this one. How should
  white go about things from the final position? What principles should
  I be applying?


The key features in the final position are:

1) You are a bishop for a pawn up

2) He has more weaknesses than you - 3 pawn islands to your 2

3) His king is much more active. It is ideally placed for action in the centre of the board while yours is stuck in the corner. This plus his passed e pawn are big pluses for him.

4) There aren't many pawns left. If they all come off it will be a draw.

Your aims should be, going from general to specific:

1) Play actively with your pieces to attack his pawns rather than passively defend if you can

2) Activate your king. His pawn on h4 is a big problem. If he can keep it and get his rook to the second rank then your king, your second most powerful piece, will be a spectator.

3) Avoid pawn exchanges.

4) Win the h4 pawn (I don't think he can stop you)

5) Blockade or win the e pawn

6) Queen either your g or h pawn

Without putting it through an engine I would suggest something like:

32 ... Rh6 - he isn't going to be able to save the h pawn


Rd8 (he wants to push his passed pawn) Rxh4
e5 Bd5 (blockading the e pawn and eyeing up the b pawn)
b6 (b5 would lose the a pawn after Rh6+) Rg4 (releasing the h pawn to run)


Push the h pawn, put your rook behind it on h4, move your king to where it is needed most. Not necessarily all in that order.