Below is the url of a game I would like your opinions of. (In particular was it necessary for Black to switch from the kingside to the queenside in order to win — or was there a mate or a big win of material on the kingside?
Bxc6 was bad
Bishops are generally better than knights
Bishops are generally better than knights
You won this game on time, but the position was winning for black.
6 Bg5 is bad: "play knights before bishops, do not pin knights with bishops" - Lasker. 6 Nbd2 is better
11 Qe2 is passive. What is the queen doing there? 11 d4 the center.
22 Qg3 Qxg3 23 fxg3 Rxe4 wins a vital pawn for black. You had to play 22 Kh1 or 22 Rfe1.
27 Re2 h5 loses a piece.
6 Bg5 is bad: "play knights before bishops, do not pin knights with bishops" - Lasker. 6 Nbd2 is better
11 Qe2 is passive. What is the queen doing there? 11 d4 the center.
22 Qg3 Qxg3 23 fxg3 Rxe4 wins a vital pawn for black. You had to play 22 Kh1 or 22 Rfe1.
27 Re2 h5 loses a piece.
To answer your second question
Black had a few tactics, where he could have won on the kingside, like 27. ... h5! Pinning the N.
However in general I do think that he is mainly better because of how you set up the queenside.
If your opponent has an open b file, and you set up a4, b3, c4 that is a structural weakness as he can press on the b file at any time.
Perhaps you had a way to mitigate this by defending with the N, but if you try to defend with heavier pieces they will be locked down and you cannot do much else.
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About the opening
If you like the exchange variation, at least hold Bxc6 until black plays a6. Or if you really cannot wait, at least try to get the benefits of the weakened pawn structure. You play d3 but instead castle and try to capture e5 (giving black black a narrow pawn island) or play d4, claiming control of the center.
Black had a few tactics, where he could have won on the kingside, like 27. ... h5! Pinning the N.
However in general I do think that he is mainly better because of how you set up the queenside.
If your opponent has an open b file, and you set up a4, b3, c4 that is a structural weakness as he can press on the b file at any time.
Perhaps you had a way to mitigate this by defending with the N, but if you try to defend with heavier pieces they will be locked down and you cannot do much else.
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About the opening
If you like the exchange variation, at least hold Bxc6 until black plays a6. Or if you really cannot wait, at least try to get the benefits of the weakened pawn structure. You play d3 but instead castle and try to capture e5 (giving black black a narrow pawn island) or play d4, claiming control of the center.
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