Scottish Annotated Games

Last updated 11 July 2001

Ellis, D R R (2120) - Gillam, S R (2385) [B08]
SCCA Championship 1999-00
[Notes by Dave Ellis]

1.e4 [This is my first attempt at annotating a game and I feel nervous about my analysis especially with Simon being the new champion!]

1...g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 c6 7.h3 Qc7 8.Bf4 Nh5 9.Be3 e5 10.Qd2 Nd7 11.a4 Re8 12.Rad1 exd4 13.Nxd4 Nhf6 14.f3 a6 15.Rf2 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.a5 Ne5 19.Bf4 b5 20.axb6 Qxb6 21.b3 Bb7 22.Be3 Nc6 [Until here, I thought the position was equal, but after 22...Nc6 things slowly go downhill for Black. Better was 22...Qc7 23.f4 Nc6 24.Nxc6 Qxc6 25.Bf3 Qc7]

23.Nf5 d4 24.Nh6+ Kf8 25.Bf4 Ne7 [If 25...d3 then 26.Bxd3 Bd4 27.Bd6+ Ne7 28.Bc4 Be3 29.Qc3 is good for White.]

26.Ng4 Nd5 27.Bh6 Nc3 [Black might try 27...f5 28.Nh2 Nc3 29.Re1 Re3 30.Bxg7+]

28.Re1 Nxe2+ [Better for Black is 28...Bxh6 29.Qxh6+ Kg8 30.Qd2]

29.Rexe2 Rxe2 30.Rxe2 Rd8 31.Kh1 Bc8 [An improvement for Black is 31...d3 32.cxd3 Qd6 33.Qb2 Qd4 34.Qa3+]

32.Qg5 Bxg4 33.Qe5 [After this, Black's position is hard to defend with many threatening checks against the exposed king.]

33...Be6 34.Qxg7+ Ke8 35.Rd2 Rd5 36.Qxh7 Kd7 37.Qh8 Qb4 38.h4 Qd6 39.Bg5 Kc6 40.Bf6 Qf4 41.Qa8+ Kb6 42.Bd8+ Kc5 43.Rd1 Qd6 44.Ba5 Qc6 45.Qb8 1-0