Scottish Centenary Tournament

Last updated 22 February 2004

Povah,N (2475) - Anton,V (2610) [D29]
SCCA-100, 1984
[Notes by John Hawkes]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bxc4 e6 5.Nf3 c5 6.0-0 a6 7.Qe2 b5 8.Bb3 Bb7 9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.e4 [Anton-Penrose, IX Olympiad Final, went: 10.Nc3 Qc7 11.d5?! and the GB top board had no great trouble. He got a fine middle game position after: 11...Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.Bxd5 exd5 14.Rxd5 Be7 15.e4 0-0 16.Bf4 Qb7 17.Bd6 Rfe8! and went on to win in style.; Santoro-Penrose, X Olympiad Final went: 10.Nc3 Qc7 11.e4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bc5 13.a3 (13.Be3 0-0 14.f3 Rfd8 15.Qf2 Rac8 16.g4 b4 17.Nce2 Qc6 Povah-Penrose, BPCF Jubilee, 0-1 in 34.) 13...0-0 14.Be3 Rfd8 15.f3 Ne5 0-1 in 39.]

10...cxd4 11.e5 Ng4 [Also interesting is the defence: 11...Nd5 12.Rxd4 Bc5 13.Rg4 Kf8!? 14.Nc3 Nxc3 15.bxc3 h5 16.Rf4 Bxf3 17.Rxf3 Qc7 18.Bxe6 Nxe5 19.Rf4 Re8 Karason-Hawkes, III Euro TT Prelims.]

12.Bf4 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Nh6 14.Rxd4 Nf5 15.Rd2 g5 16.Bg3 Bb4 17.Nc3 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Qc7 Black's opening is a success. His pawns are in good shape, the White bishops are not menacing, and he's about to win a pawn.

19.Bc2 Nxg3 20.hxg3 Qxe5 21.Be4 Rd8 22.Rad1 Ke7 23.Rd4 Nf6 24.Qd2 Rb8 [24...Rxd4 allows 25.cxd4 Nxe4 26.fxe4 Qxe4 27.Qxg5+ with a dangerous attack.]

25.c4 Rhc8 26.Bd5 bxc4 27.Bxc4 a5 White courts disaster by trying to win from this position. Now 28.Ba6 or Bb3-a4 was more prudent.

28.f4?! gxf4 29.Re1 Qg5 30.Bb3 Rg8 31.Qc3! Rgc8 [The alternative 31...Rbc8 meets 32.Qf3! intending Rxf4 or Qb7+ when Black must still be careful.]

32.Qd2 h5 No draw yet!

33.Rxf4 h4 34.Qe3 hxg3 35.fxg3 Rb6! 36.Kg2 Rd6 37.Ref1 Rg8! 38.R1f3! Rg7! [Clearly not 38...Rg6? 39.Rxf6 Rd2+ 40.Kf1 Qxe3 41.Rxf7+ Ke8 42.Ba4+ Kd8 43.Rxe3+- ]

39.Qc3 Nd7 [39...Rg6 40.Ba4! /\Qc7+ 40...Rd5 41.Qa3+ Rd6 42.Qc3= ]

40.Ba4 Qe5 41.Bxd7 Qxc3 42.Rxc3 Rd2+ 43.Rf2 Rxd7 44.Rc5 Ra7 45.Rf4 Kd6 ½-½