I'm impressed with the way gambiitti handled the defense and kept fighting, but I want to offer a couple of ideas based not on good moves, but on effective use of the psychological factors present in this game.
Move 25 is the point at which White needs to make the new plan. The Bishops are on opposite colours. If we can trade all other pieces the one pawn minus should be drawable. If the pawns come off, 2 lone Knights can't force checkmate. The White King is already better placed to take a fighting part in the game. Clear up the situation on the Queenside first, those pawns look easier to exchange off. The ultimate solution if we can get some pawns off and exchange a Rook is to sacrifice the other Rook for any remaining pawns. Especially given Black's subsequent play, I think it is perfectly legitimate here to ask "do you know the technique for mating with KBN vs K?". It's easy if you know how, but not something you'll be able to discover at the board if you haven't practiced it. Not an awful lot to go on, but now let's consider the psychological factors.
Up to this point, Black had been moving very quickly - using just a few seconds on each move. This tells us he is playing reactively and is more likely to play against White's plans than to construct an active plan of his own. Furthermore, see what happened when he did finally start to use time at move 25. In the next 10 moves or so, Black achieves next to nothing while the active White Rooks penetrate his position. This tells us that he hasn't been able to make a plan for how to win this position.
By move 35 he's happy for the Rook to sit passively on a8, the Bishop is being pushed around by the Rooks, the defense of both the Knight and f7 is becoming awkward, and White is coming dangerously close to forcing a repetition by alternately attacking these weaknesses.
gambiitti(1829) vs gile(1735)After 37. ... Nd6
In this position, I would be inclined to keep the Rooks on the board just a little longer. Given Black's proclivity to planlessness and passivity 38. Rb6 hints at a sort of Zugzwang. White is asking "What do you intend to do to win this position?" if the Knight moves we return to the barrage on f7 (repetition), and if the King moves we can threaten to enter a pawn-down Rook ending with good practical chances of survival. Forcing the opponent to make decisions is always a good idea for the defender - they'll often make a bad choice.
gambiitti(1829) vs gile(1735)After 43. ... g5
This position has a number of important features. The Rook is ideally placed at a6 where it cuts off the King. It will take a few moves to pass the 3rd rank - frustration! White has won a pawn and now has a majority on the Queenside. Should the Bishop ever leave the a3-f8 diagonal, a4! creates a passed pawn which will draw Black pieces away from the Kingside and allow the White King entry to harrass the pawns there. As happens in this game, they always seem to automatically capture en passant after a move like a4, which is bad for the attacker. Black needs to keep pawns on the board, and that b4 pawn can ultimately become a distant passer when the White pawns are won - b3 is a target that can distract White from his active defense.
44. f5 is a tempting, threatening looking move that the desperate defender should always avoid! As the pawns become more separated, the chore of maintaining them becomes ever more difficult. It is not a question of 'if' but 'when' this over-extended pawn will be lost. 44. fxg5 is the move in accordance with our principles - pawns must be exchanged! - and after 44. ... hxg5 45. Kg4 with the idea of playing h4, White is getting very close to several of the unwinnable ending scenarios.
Some More Rules For Desperate Defense.
7. Force the attacker to make plans and decisions - they often find the wrong one.
8. Moving to and fro without the attacker being able to make progress is frustrating for him and can lead to repetition by alternately attacking two weaknesses, or lead to a rash and bad move on his part.
9. Keep your own pawns close together so they can mutually protect or be protected by a single piece. Advance them only if exchange is certain (or at least quite likely), or else leave them where they are and say "come get me" - put the onus on the attacker to work out a way to win them!
10. Keep fighting! The most important point! Make threats, cheap tactical threats if needs be, positional threats with passed pawns, and threats to exchange down to unwinnable or difficult to win positions.
Sometimes you find yourself in a hopeless position and your opponent makes good moves and obviously has a plan of campaign. Those games you just resign and move on to the next one.
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