Scottish Centenary Tournament

Last updated 22 February 2004

Povah,N (2475) - Diaconescu,P (2400) [D41]
SCCA-100, 1984
[Notes by Nigel Povah]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.g3 Nc6 7.Bg2 Be7 [Informator hints at: 7...cxd4 as best. After 8.Nxd4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.cxd4 Bd6 White must try 12.Bf4 if he wants to win.]

8.0-0 0-0 9.e4 Ndb4 If this proves to be busted by White's reply, then [Black also has 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 b6 ; and 9...Nb6 10.d5 exd5 11.exd5 Nb4 as theoretical tries.]

10.dxc5! An improvement noted by John Watson.

10...Bxc5 [10...Nd3 11.Qe2 Nxc1 12.Raxc1 Bxc5 13.Rfd1 and White threatens e5.]

11.e5 Be7 [Watson gives: 11...Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Nc2 13.Rb1 N2d4 14.Bf4+/- ; 11...b6?! 12.a3 Qxd1 13.Rxd1 Nd5 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.b4 Be7 16.Rxd5+/- ; 11...Nd5!? 12.Ne4 Be7 13.a3 b6 14.Qc2 Bb7 15.Neg5 g6 16.Qe4+/- ]

12.a3 Nd3 13.Qe2 Nxc1 14.Raxc1 Qa5 15.Rfd1 a6!? [15...Rd8 16.Nb5 Qa6 17.Bf1 Bd7 18.Qe3 with Black exchanging queens by: 18...Qb6 and tolerating a lot of endgame pressure, was Korchnoi-Hubner, Johannesburg, 1981.]

16.Nd4! Nxd4 [ Alternatively, 16...Bd7 17.Nf5!? exf5 18.Rxd7 Bg5 19.f4 Qb6+ 20.Kh1+/- ]

17.Rxd4 Rd8 18.Rcd1 [Maybe 18.Rxd8+ is also good.]

18...Rxd4 19.Rxd4 Rb8 20.Qd2! b5 [20...Qc7 21.Ne4 b5 22.Nd6 ; 20...h6 21.Nd5 Qxd2 22.Nxe7+ Kf8 23.Ng6+ fxg6 24.Rxd2 Ke7 25.Rd6 followed by b4 and Bh3.]

21.b4 Qb6 22.Ne4 Bb7 23.Nf6+! Bxf6 [23...gxf6 24.Rg4+ Kh8 25.Qh6 Rg8 26.Rh4 Rg7 27.exf6 Bxf6 28.Qxf6+- and the threats of Rg4 and Bxb7 are too much.]

24.exf6 gxf6 [24...Bxg2 25.Qg5 ; 24...e5 25.Rd6 then Qg5.; 24...h6 25.Rg4 g5 26.Rxg5+ hxg5 27.Qxg5+ Kf8 28.Qg7+ and White picks up rook and bishop.]

25.Rd6! [25.Rd6 Qc7 26.Rd7 Qb6 27.Qd1!! Bc6 (27...Bxg2 28.Qg4+ Kh8 (28...Kf8 29.Qh5 ) 29.Rxf7 Rg8 30.Qh4 threatening two mates.) 28.Rd6 Rc8 29.Qc2 winning the piece.] 1-0