Scottish Centenary Tournament

Last updated 22 February 2004

Sterud,E (2425) - Povah,N (2475) [E12]
SCCA-100, 1984
[Notes by John Hawkes]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 [A clash between two Russian giants of CC, Nesis and Khasin, went: 4.g3 Ba6 5.Nbd2 c5 6.e4 cxd4 7.e5 Ng8 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.0-0 Rc8 10.Re1 Be7 11.a3 f6!? 12.b4! producing a game of exceptional intensity.]

4...c5 5.d5 Ba6 6.Qc2 exd5 7.cxd5 g6 8.Nc3 Bg7 9.g3 0-0 10.Bg2 d6 11.0-0 Re8 12.Re1 Nbd7 [12...Qc7 13.e4!? Nbd7 14.Bf4 Nh5 15.Be3 Rac8 16.g4! Petrosian-Foisor, 1984.]

13.h3 Qc7 14.e4 Not at all a bad Benoni!

14...c4 It's soon evident that this has its pros and cons, and needed careful assessment.

15.Be3 Nc5 16.Nd4 Rac8 17.Nc6 Nfd7 18.a4 Nd3 19.Reb1 N7c5 20.Nb5 Culminating in the win of a pawn on c4.

20...Qd7 21.Bxc5 bxc5 22.Qxc4 Ne5 23.Nxe5 Bxe5 24.Ra3 Rb8 25.Rb3 Bd4 Keeping White's bishop tied to the defence of the e-pawn. [25...Rb6?! allows 26.Bf1 Bd4 27.Qc2 etc.]

26.Rc1 The pin on the Nb5 is very uncomfortable, and Black can intensify the pressure still further.

26...Rb6 27.Rc2 Reb8 28.Bf1 Qe7 29.Qd3 The next phase is handled impressively by Black.

29...Bxb5 30.Rxb5 a6 31.Rxb6 Rxb6 32.a5 Rb5 33.b4 Rxb4 34.Qxa6 Qxe4 35.Qe2 Qxd5 36.a6 Rb1! Keeping the runaway pawn under control.

37.Kh2 [White can't play the seemingly plausible 37.Ra2 because of 37...Rxf1+ 38.Kxf1 Qh1# ]

37...Ra1 38.Qc4 Qf3 39.Bg2 Qd1 40.h4 Rxa6 0-1