Scottish Centenary Tournament

Last updated 22 February 2004

Hintikka,E (2440) - Vukcevic,B (2495) [C77]
SCCA-100, 1984
[Notes by John Hawkes]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Qe7! A very rare bird, requiring White to react energetically. [5...b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.a4 Rb8 8.axb5 axb5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc3 d6 11.h3 Bd7 12.d3 Qc8 13.Nd5 Bd8 14.c3 Nxd5 15.exd5 Ne7 16.d4 Ng6 17.dxe5 Re8 and the pin turned nasty after 18.e6! Kopylov-Bragin, USSR CC Championship, 1979-80.]

6.0-0 g6 7.d4 Nxd4 8.Nxd4 exd4 9.c3 Bg7 10.cxd4 0-0 11.Nc3 b5 12.e5 Complications.

12...bxa4 13.Qf3 Rb8 14.Bg5 Bb7 15.exf6 Qb4 16.Qg3 Bh8 17.Qxc7 Qxd4 18.Qg3 It looks as though Black has gone too far with his originality. His pawns are a mess, and there's one of White's stuck in his throat.

18...Bc6 19.Rfd1 Qb6 20.Rab1 Rfe8 21.Rd6 Qc5 22.h4 Qf5 23.Rbd1 h6 Another exciting moment.

24.Nd5 Bxd5 [24...hxg5 25.Rxc6! dxc6 (25...gxh4 26.Qxb8 )26.Ne7+ and wins.]

25.R6xd5 Qe4 26.f3 Qc2 27.Rc1 If there's an improvement in White's attack, one senses this is the moment.

27...Qxb2 28.Bxh6 Qxf6 29.h5 Still Black has problems.

29...Rb5! 30.Rcd1 Qc6 But he holds against all the threats.

31.Rxb5 [31.Rxd7 Qc5+ and White can't avoid simplification and the loss of the h-pawn.]

31...axb5 32.hxg6 Qxg6 33.Qxg6+ fxg6 34.Rxd7 That's only half the game. Now we have another treat. A beautifully played ending.

34...b4 35.Kh2 Ra8 36.Bc1 a3 37.Rb7 Bc3 38.Kh3 Rd8 39.Bh6 Rd1 40.Kg4 Rg1 Accurate. White threatened mate in three, so the a-pawn has to wait.

41.g3 Rg2 42.Kg5 Rxg3+ 43.Kf4 Rg2 44.Rb8+ Kf7 45.Bf8 Rb2 46.Bc5 Rb1 [If Black rushes to it: 46...b3 47.Bxa3 bxa2 48.Bxb2= White draws easily.]

47.Ra8 Re1! [47...b3 48.Bxa3 bxa2 was a real threat this time. ]

48.Ra4 Bd2+ Only this makes the win possible. The White king can't advance.

49.Kg4 Rc1 50.Bd6 Rc6 51.Ra7+ Ke6 52.Bf8 Rc2 53.Rb7 Kd5! 54.f4 Kc4 55.Rc7+ Kd3 56.Rd7+ Kc3 57.Rb7 Rb2 58.Kg5 [58.Bd6 Kc2 and then b1 and a2.]

58...Bxf4+ 59.Kxf4 Rf2+ 60.Ke3 Rxf8 61.Rc7+ Kb2 62.Rb7 Kxa2 63.Rxb4 g5 0-1