Scottish Centenary Tournament

Last updated 22 February 2004

Anton,V (2610) - Bryson,D (2575) [E41]
SCCA-100, 1984
[Notes by John Hawkes]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.e4 [In the 1983-85 CC match Scotland-France, there was an exciting example of the open variation: 8.0-0 e5 (8...b6!? is worth considering.) 9.Ng5 0-0 10.f4 The pairing Beecham-Biaux continued: 10...exd4 11.cxd4 cxd4 12.exd4 h6 (12...Nxd4?! is dangerous, but may be playable, eg: 13.Bb2 Nf5 14.Qc2 Ne3 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.Qd3 Nxf1 17.Rxf1 Bg4! 18.Kh1 Qe7 19.Qc3 Rae8 20.Be4 Nh5! Hansen-Hjartarson, Gausdal Zonal, 1985, 0-1 in 26.) 13.Nf3 Bg4 14.h3!? Bxf3 15.Qxf3 d5 16.Bb2 Re8 17.Rac1 Qb6 18.Ba1 Nxd4 19.Qf2 Ne2+! 20.Bxe2 Rxe2 21.Qxb6 axb6 22.Bxf6 Raxa2 23.Rfd1 Rxg2+ 24.Kh1 Rh2+ 25.Kg1 gxf6 26.cxd5 Rag2+ 27.Kf1 Rd2 28.Kg1 Rdg2+ Black accepting the repetition draw in rather the better position.]

8...e5 9.h3 h6 10.0-0 [Interesting and quite logical is: 10.Be3 b6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Nd2 Ng6 13.g3 0-0 14.Kf1 Ne8 15.Kg2 Ne7! Portisch-Browne, Tilburg, 1982.]

10...Qc7 [>=10...0-0 (Bryson)]

11.Qe2 Bd7 12.dxc5!? dxc5 13.Ne1 0-0-0 14.Nc2 Qd6 15.Rd1 Ne8 16.Ne3 Na5 17.Nd5 Qa6 18.Be3 b6 White's layout is now completed and he works up an attack in a most extraordinary fashion.

19.Qh5! f6 [ Black would lose the e-pawn after 19...Nd6 and also be susceptible to mate on c7.]

20.Qf7 [20.f4! is also strong (Bryson).]

20...Ba4 21.Ne7+ Kb8 22.Bc2! Nb7! [22...Rxd1+ 23.Rxd1 Bxc2 allows mate. (23...Nd6 24.Rxd6 Bxc2 25.Qxg7 Re8 leaves Black's k-side decimated, and threats to his king on the other side.) ]

23.Bb3 Nbd6 24.Qd5 Rd7? My worst move of the tournament (Bryson). [Simply 24...Nc7 and Black is back in the game. 25.Nc6+? Ka8 26.Qd3 Rhe8 ]

25.Bxa4 [I had planned 24... Nc7 when playing 20... Ba4, but now thought that 24... Rd7 followed by 25.Ng6 Nc7 stopped the option of Nd5 for White (Bryson).]

25...Qxa4 26.Bxc5! I completely overlooked this (Bryson).

26...Rxe7 [Naturally not: 26...bxc5 27.Rab1+ Kc7 28.Qxc5+ Kd8 29.Nc6+ wins just about everything.]

27.Bxd6+ Nc7 [Forced, as he loses off-hand if: 27...Nxd6 28.Qxd6+ Rc7 29.c5 ]

28.c5 Rd7 29.cxb6 axb6 30.Rab1 Ka7 With his bishop pinned and the queen threatened, the attack must be over. But now comes one of the moves of the tournament!

31.Bxc7!! Rxd5 [31...Rxc7 32.Rb4 (Bryson)]

32.exd5 b5 33.c4 Kb7 34.d6 b4 35.a3 b3 36.Rd3 Kc6 37.Rbxb3 e4 38.Rb6+ Kd7 39.Rg3 g5 40.c5 Qc2 41.c6+ Ke6 42.d7 Ke7 43.Rgb3 Rf8 44.Rb8 Qxc6 45.d8Q+ Rxd8 46.Bxd8+ Kf7 47.R3b7+ Kg6 48.Rb1 [Avoiding the draw by 48.Rb6 Qc1+ 49.Kh2 Qf4+ etc. Black is now helpless with one piece against three.]

48...g4 49.R8b6 Qc8 50.Bxf6 gxh3 51.gxh3 Qxh3 52.R1b3 Qd7 53.Bd4+ Kh5 54.R3b5+ Kg4 55.Rg6+ Kf3 56.Rg3+ Ke2 57.Rb2+ Kd1 58.Kh1! A beautiful final touch. [58.Kh1 Qxd4 59.Rg1# ] 1-0