interesting position, who is better here?

RoundTower

from a correspondence game I played recently. I showed this position on another forum and people disagreed over it.

[Event "Online Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2009.01.14"]
[Round "1"]
[White "RoundTower"]
[Black "jakongo2001"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "2063"]
[BlackElo "2289"]
[TimeControl "1 in 3 days"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Be6 7. a3 Qd7 8. b4 Rc8 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. c5 Bg4
11. Nge2 Bh6 12. Qa4 Bxe2 13. Nxe2 e5 14. b5 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 exd4 16. Qxd4 O-O 17. Be2 Rfe8 18. Ra2 Qxb5 19. O-O Qxc5 20. Qg4+ Bg7
21. Bd3 Rb8



White to move, whose chances do you prefer?

Abdiel

Personally I think I would prefer Black in this one.

That central passed pawn should prove the difference if Black can start trading. Plus the queenside pawn majority that black has as well would also make me favour black.

Take the pawns out of the equation and you're looking at a drawish opposite coloured bishop endgame. I wouldn't worry too much about Black's doubled pawns on the f-file, I think black can generate enough counterplay with his central pawn and queenside majority.

The Tourist

I like black here:
- up on material
- better rooks
- queenside majority
- passed pawn
- control of open files
- worse bishop, but its doing a good defensive job
- slightly worse king but no immediate risk
- better ending