Opposite color bishop endgame fail

en.lichess.org/WAAtjVZi9DOG

On move 38, I traded knights and hoped for the best in an opposite color bishop endgame. This is the first time I have played such an endgame, and I have seen in books how it is possible to draw, even when you are down by 2 pawns, like in this case I was.

Would it have been possible for me to draw? Where did I play wrong? How could I have played better? Please help me analyze this position. I am not very good at endgames and counting pawn races.

Hopefully, I will learn something from this experience with your analysis. After all, I'm just a patzer!

Look up how to create a passed pawn when you have the 3v3 pawn chain.

When I see such topics, I always wonder: "Why author presents us his game and asks to analize it when he even did not bother to make a computer analysis of his own game?"

@ClaytonM I know how to do that.
@Alex_slow, I didn't use the computer analysis because i don't just want to know the best move. I want to comprehend why it is good, and know what moves to follow up with.

Fair enough. I'm not that good at endgames, either.

@Alex_slow because the computer doesn't tell you *why* it's good or explain what your line of thought should be. If computer analysis was all that there was to it, why would we even have this forum? Why would STL Chess Club put out such great videos, why would there be books?

The basic idea is to set up a blockade on the squares that the opposing bishop cannot cover.
22 g4 seems wrong: better Kd3 to fight for the centre squares.
45 f4 and 46 f5 seems wrong: you create more weaknesses. Better just play the bishop.
Why not 53 Ka2?
57 Bd1 looks better than 57 Bb1
Instead of 58 Kxb4 you could still play 58 Bc2 intending to defend with Bd1

Yeah, sometimes those endgames are won with equal pawns and sometimes draw with a couple of extra pawns.

Two extra passed pawns which are not safely blocked is rather lost than draw. Sometimes one has to focus them to force them to advance one square and block them but as said before ist is difficult here. Probably draw without the king's wing material.

Thanks @tpr! Now I feel stupid, but I have now learned how to properly blockade passed pawns with opposite color bishops.

There are certainly thousands of endgames which couldn't be won despite a huge material plus. Imagine two connected passed pawns blocked on the own bishop color and rien ne va plus.

Just to show how complex matters can be this is an example taken from a another forum. A shoot-out with a top engine leads always to a white win - although material is equal:

de.lichess.org/jLudxU7o

Interesting example @Sarg0n thanks for your advise!