I missed a cool mate in 6. Be honest, would you have seen it ?

Yes, most likely I would've found it (because as Brian suggests, it's really more like a mate in 3). And I've got 5 leisurely minutes left to think about it (since if there turns out there's nothing else, I can always force a draw the way you did)...

I do have to admit though I'm a bit surprised that there's no way to force a win after 46... Kxg3.

That reminds me of the arabian mating pattern, so I think I would have seen it pretty easily. I can definitely see why you might be hesitant to play it, though.

I understand that my question is hard to answer because once you've seen a tactic, you can't unsee it.

But guys, you need to keep in mind that during the game you would have not been aware that there was a tactic in the first place. Then, sure, if someone presented the position to me as a puzzle, I could have probably spotted the move after a couple of minutes, but in the game I did not know, a priori, that there was anything to be found there.

That said, I absolutely accept the critique that I should have used more time, knowing that in the worst case scenario I had a sure draw at my disposal. That's fair.

@esmiro said in #13:
> I understand that my question is hard to answer because once you've seen a tactic, you can't unsee it.
>
> But guys, you need to keep in mind that during the game you would have not been aware that there was a tactic in the first place. Then, sure, if someone presented the position to me as a puzzle, I could have probably spotted the move after a couple of minutes, but in the game I did not know, a priori, that there was anything to be found there.
>
> That said, I absolutely accept the critique that I should have used more time, knowing that in the worst case scenario I had a sure draw at my disposal. That's fair.

Yes, of course, solving puzzles when you know there is a resource is very different from spotting a resource when you are playing.

The resource, in this case, isn't just a tactic though. The position at move 44 or 45 has the key feature that the White king is very short of squares, whether it's on the back rank or on h3. Coupled with the fact that White's rooks are currently posted in unthreatening positions and would need a few moves to manoeuvre into positions where they can be effective, that should encourage us to see if a mating net can be constructed.

I would have played Nxg3+ because it wins a pawn. Then after Kh3 I would have played Rc1 and resigned after Rd3+. The truth hurts.

Yeah, my reasoning was something in the line of

mmmh Nxg3+, then let's see....

Kg1 ? Doesn't work, then I'd win.

Kh3 ?

mmmh there are no checks afterwards.
Corridor mate after Rc1 ? No wait, they have Rd3+

Nf1? They still have Rd3+ though...

Whatever, let's take the draw.

I did not realize that thanks to my pawn the mate threat was hard to stop.