Scottish Centenary Tournament

Last updated 22 February 2004

Anton,V (2610) - Webb,S (2550) [E41]
SCCA-100, 1984
[Notes by Simon Webb]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.e4 e5 9.h3 A little-played line which is not supposed to set Black many problems.

9...h6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Rb1 Qc7 12.Qe2 b6 13.d5 White commits himself to the normal blocked set-up in this line. [He could wait instead with 13.Re1 when both sides have difficulty in making constructive moves.]

13...Ne7 14.Nh4 g5!? Forcing an even more blocked position, which seems quite satisfactory for Black.

15.Qf3 [15.Nf5? Nxf5 16.exf5 e4! ]

15...Ne8 16.Nf5 Nxf5 17.exf5 f6 Preventing f6 by White once and for all. The question is now, who can break through, and on which side? Well, neither side can do anything on the q-side, since White can easily stop a6 and b5 by playing a4, while a4 and a5 by White achieves nothing but the creation of a passed a-pawn for Black. So, both sides should turn their attention to the k-side, where White has chances of coming down the h-file with his major pieces, or of playing g3 and f4.

18.h4 Ba6! The only purpose of this is to clear the way for the q-rook to come over and defend the k-side.

19.a4? Wasting a tempo.

19...Rd8 20.Bd2 Rd7 21.Rb2? Continuing with his incorrect plan. He should settle for g4, Kg2, Rh1 etc., with a deadlocked position.

21...Rh7 22.a5? bxa5 23.Ra1 Kh8 24.Rba2 Bc8 25.Rxa5 a6 26.R5a2 Rg8 Black is now beginning to generate threats on the k-side, such as g4 followed by rounding up the f-pawn, or gxh4, h5 Rg4, etc.

27.hxg5 fxg5! [27...hxg5= but the text threatens Nf6 followed by advancing the h- and g-pawns. So White goes in for some tactics which end in Black's favour.]

28.f6 Rf7 29.Qh5 Rxf6 30.Bxg5 Rxg5 31.Qxe8+ Rg8 32.Qh5 Qg7 Black now has a clear advantage - better pawn structure and a k-side initiative.

33.g3 Rf4 34.Re1 Preventing e4-e3.

34...Qf6 35.Re3 Black's position looks very good, but it is difficult to make progress without giving up the a-pawn. I feel that I must have missed a winning line somewhere in the next few moves.

35...Bg4 36.Qh2 Rf3 37.Rxa6 Rxe3 38.fxe3 Bf3 39.Ra2! White continues to defend accurately.

39...Qg5 [39...e4 40.Be2 seems to hold.]

40.Rf2 Bh5!? Blocking the h-file so that Qxe3 is a threat. [The alternative 40...e4 41.Bf1 Qxe3 42.Qh4 is not conclusive.]

41.Kh1 Qxg3 Admitting that I couldn't find a win in the middle game, and going into an ending which is advantageous, but not entirely clear.

42.Qxg3 Rxg3 43.Rf6 Rxe3 [43...Kg7 44.Rxd6 Rxe3 45.Bf1~~ ]

44.Bf5?! [I was expecting 44.Rxh6+ Kg7 45.Rxh5 Rxd3 and was not sure if the rook ending was a win.]

44...Kg7 45.Rxd6 Rf3 The bishop must be driven from f5 where it both supports the advancing d-pawn, and hinders Black from advancing the e-pawn.

46.Bc8 Rxc3 47.Rc6 e4! The direct pawn advance just wins. [47...Rxc4 48.Kg2! seems ok for White.]

48.d6 e3 49.d7 e2 50.Re6 Rd3 51.Kg2 Bg4 52.Re8 Bxd7 53.Bxd7 Rxd7 54.Rxe2 Kf6 [54...Rd4? 55.Re6 Rxc4 56.Rc6 ]

55.Rf2+ Kg5 56.Re2 Kf5 57.Rf2+ Leading to a simple book win. [57.Kf2 Rd4 58.Rc2 h5 etc. would not last long either.]

57...Ke4 58.Rf6 Kd3 59.Rxh6 Kxc4 White could resign, but continues for another nine months.

60.Kf1 Re7 61.Rc6 Kb4 62.Rc8 c4 63.Kf2 Kb3 64.Rb8+ Kc2 65.Rc8 c3 66.Rb8 Kc1 67.Rc8 c2 68.Rb8 Re5 My opponent remarked that my last move was "like the famous Tower Bridge of London." 0-1