Scottish Centenary Tournament

Last updated 22 February 2004

Anton,V (2610) - Sorensen,H (2470) [A65]
SCCA-100, 1984
[Notes by John Hawkes]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.Bd3 Bg7 8.Nge2 0-0 9.0-0 Na6 10.h3 Nc7 11.a4 Rb8 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 Re8 14.f4 One suspects this is a winning layout for White. To judge from Sorensen's reply, he thinks so too!

14...Qd7 15.Bxf6! Bxf6 16.e5 dxe5 17.f5 The classic breakthrough.

17...e4 18.Nxe4 Bxb2 19.d6 gxf5 20.dxc7 Qxc7 21.N4g3 Bxa1 22.Qxa1 Not just an exchange sacrifice, but a couple of pawns also.

22...Re3 23.Rf3 Qe5 24.Qf1 f4 25.Rxf4 Be6 [25...Rxd3 26.Re4 Qg5 27.h4! Qg6 28.Re8+ Kh7 29.h5 Qg5 (29...Qg7 30.Qb1! )30.Qxf7+ Qg7 31.Qg6+ Qxg6 32.hxg6+ Kg7 33.Nh5+ Kxg6 34.Nhf4++- (Sorensen)]

26.Bf5 Almost every White move is surprising to the spectator.

26...Re8 27.Bxe6 Rxe6 28.Rxf7 Rxg3 29.Nxg3 Qxg3 Faced with Re1, White can't stop now.

30.Rf8+ Kh7 31.Qf7+ Qg7 32.Qf5+ Qg6 [32...Rg6? 33.Rf7 ]

33.Qxc5 White's queen is dominant for the moment, and he plays to win because of his more secure king position.

33...Qg5 34.Qc2+ Kg7 35.Rf3 b6 36.Qc3+ Qe5 37.Rg3+ Kh7 38.Qd3+ Qe4 39.Qd8 Re8 40.Qf6 Re7 41.Kh2 A sort of zugzwang! Black must guard g6 and g7, so has no liberty with either his queen or rook.

41...Rd7 42.Rg4 Qd3 43.Qe5 Rf7 [43...Qd6 44.Rg7+! Kh8 45.Qxd6 Rxd6 46.Rxa7 and the rook and pawn ending is an easy win for White.]

44.Qb8 Magic. 1-0