Scottish Annotated Games

Last updated 23 July 2003

May, M A - Brown, Dr A C [B38]
SCCA Championship 2002-03
[Notes by Alan Brown]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 [White has two main tries here - either the quiet 5.Nc3 or the establishment of a Maroczy bind with 5.c4]

5.c4 [Probably the more difficult for Black!]

5...Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 d6 9.0-0 [Here, NCO gives 9.f4 e5 as unclear. However, I'm not so sure, as for instance: 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.0-0 Qc7 13.Qe1 Rb8 14.Rb1 seems to leave the advantage with White. ( as does 14.b4 ) ]

9...Bd7 [ 9...a5 ; 9...a6 ; 9...Re8 ; 9...Nd7 are all possibilities here.]

10.Rc1 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bh6!? [ Merenyi v Winants 1997 continued in this fashion, which helps to restore Black's fortunes compared with 11...Bc6 12.Qd3 ]

12.Rc2 e5 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Bc6 15.Qd3 [I had expected 15.Bd3, and now after some thought played 15... Qe7 to allow for the necessary rook play to eventually control the q-file. However, the game did not proceed that way!]

15...Qe7 16.b4 b6 [To inhibit any push to c5.]

17.Bd1 a5 18.a3?! [Allows the opening of a file as the knight at c3 must be maintained to bolster up the very weak e4 - a task that cannot be left solely to the White queen, who is now caught rather flat-footedly in the centre.]

18...axb4 19.axb4 Ra1 20.Rcf2 Nd7 21.Rd2 Qe6 [The beginning of pressure on c4, while continuing to threaten the g- and h-files.]

22.Bb3 [The defence of c4, but too little too late.]

22...Rxf1+ 23.Kxf1 Qf6+ [The c4 threat evaporates, to be replaced with something more sinister, namely control of the a-file along with a knight at f6.]

24.Kg1 Qh4 25.g3 Qg5 26.Ra2 Nf6 27.Ra6 Ra8! [When Mark replied to this move, he said that he had expected 27... Rb8. That however would have negated Black's real intentions, and perhaps would have lost the game. Meantime, the proffered b-pawn was really a poisoned pawn!]

28.Rxb6? Ra1+ 29.Kg2 Ng4 30.Bd1 Nxe3+ 31.Kf2 Nxd1+ 32.Nxd1 Qh5 [ 32...Qh5 33.Qe2 Qxh2+ 34.Kf1 Qh1+ 35.Kf2 Rxd1 ; 32...Qh5 33.Rxc6 Qxh2+ 34.Ke1 Qh1+ 35.Qf1 Rxd1+ 36.Kxd1 Qxf1+ 37.Kc2 Qf2+ both lead to wins for Black.] 0-1