Middlegame Lessons From Crete V

IN this series I am looking at important middlegame tactical and positional decisions players faced in my games at the Amateur Chess Organization's world senior championship at the Fodele Beach Resort, Crete.

In round seven I had black against Suresh Jhunjhnuwala, an American (ex-Hong Kong) with a Fide rating of 1870. The full game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-seven.html

Position after 19.Ra1-d1

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It is easy to assume there is nothing much going on in the position, and indeed Black is fine after a move such as 19...Nc5 (thematic against the Maróczy Bind), 19...Rfd8 or 19...f6!?

However, after the careless ...

19...Rfc8?

... Black loses a pawn to ...

20.e5!

... as is shown by the game continuation ...

20...Ra6 21.exd6 Bxf3 22.Rxf3 Rxd6 23.Rxd6 exd6 24.Rd3 Rc6 25.Nb5 Nc5 26.Rxd6.