Thanks Skybird, will look it through, and it will be interesting to see what Fritz says of the whole thing.

I decided to play something a bit unusual in the Scandinavian, hence 3. Nf3, as I thought Letum might be well versed in the main lines, which I'm not.

Also, it seemed to me that black grabbing the pawn with 3 ... Nxf6 rather than with the queen is a bit passive, and then retreating back to Nf6 again gave white a slight tempo and development advantage. But that might be of minor importance.

cheers Porphy

short version, Hiarcs 10:

Porphy - Letum
[Analysis: Hiarcs 10 (30s)]
B01: Scandinavian Defence

1.e2-e4 d7-d5
2.e4xd5 Ng8-f6
3.Ng1–f3 Nf6xd5
4.c2-c4 Nd5-f6
5.d2-d4 e7-e6 last book move
6.Bf1–e2 c7-c5
7.0–0 Nb8-c6
8.d4-d5 [8.Bc1–e3±]
8...e6xd5
9.c4xd5 Nf6xd5 [9...Qd8xd5 10.Qd1–a4 Bf8-e7 11.Nb1–c3]
10.Be2-c4 [10.Qd1–b3 Nd5-b6 11.Rf1–d1 Bc8-d7]
10...Bc8-e6
11.Nf3-g5 Nd5-b4 Black king safety dropped [11...Qd8-d7!?= is an interesting idea]
12.Ng5xe6 Qd8xd1 [12...f7xe6!? is interesting 13.Nb1–d2 Bf8-e7]
13.Ne6-c7++- [13.Rf1xd1?! f7xe6 14.Nb1–c3 Nb4-c2=]
13...Ke8-e7?? the position was bad, and this mistake simply hastens the end [13...Ke8-d7 14.Rf1xd1+ Kd7xc7 15.Bc1–f4+ Kc7-b6+-]
14.Rf1xd1 Nb4-c2 [14...Ra8-d8 is still a small chance 15.Nc7-d5+ Nb4xd5 16.Rd1xd5 Rd8xd5 17.Bc4xd5 Nc6-b4+-]
15.Nc7xa8 g7-g6 [15...Nc2xa1 there is nothing else anyway 16.Bc1–g5+ f7-f6+-]
16.Nb1–c3 Nc2xa1 [16...Nc6-e5 hardly improves anything 17.Nc3-d5+ Ke7-d6 18.Bc1–f4+-]
17.Nc3-d5+ [17.Bc1–g5+ secures the point 17...f7-f6 18.Nc3-d5+ Ke7-d8 19.Nd5-b4+ Nc6-d4 20.Bg5xf6+ Bf8-e7 21.Bf6xh8 a7-a5 22.Bh8xd4 c5xd4 23.Rd1xd4+ Kd8-c8 24.Na8-b6+ Kc8-c7 25.Nb4-d5+ Kc7-d6 26.Nd5xe7+ Kd6xe7 27.Nb6-d5+ Ke7-d7 28.Nd5-e3+ Kd7-c6+-]
17...Ke7-e6 [17...Ke7-d8 a fruitless try to alter the course of the game 18.Bc1–g5+ Kd8-c8 19.Bg5-f4+-]
18.Rd1–e1+ [18.Nd5-c7+ and White has reached his goal 18...Ke6-e7 19.Bc1–g5+ f7-f6 20.Nc7-d5+ Ke7-d8 21.Nd5-b4+ Nc6-d4 22.Bg5xf6+ Kd8-d7 23.Bf6xh8 a7-a5 24.Bh8xd4 c5xd4 25.Rd1xd4+ Bf8-d6+-]
18...Nc6-e5 [18...Ke6-d7 does not help much 19.Nd5-f6+ Kd7-c8 20.Re1–e8+ Nc6-d8 21.Nf6-d5+-]
19.Bc1–f4 Bf8-g7
20.Na8-c7+

Thanks Skybird

Yes, it seems black could have avoided a lot of nasty things at move 11 and move 12. Going for the white rook, instead of keeping the king safe, proved dangerous.

I guess Letum was very sure that the answer to 12. ... Qd8xd1 would be 13. Rf1xd1, which would give black equal play. The "Zwischenzug" with the Knight and check was deciding for the game, so black would have to come up with something better before this happened.

According to the computer analysis white could improve on move 8, as I suspected. Instead of pushing the pawn forward and possibly overextending the position, continuing development with Bc1–e3 gives white some advantage and is safer. I guess I was a bit too eager as usual to try to disrupt the kings position... :)

cheers Porphy

You are hereby promoted to the rank of "disruptor". :salute: