By GM Kevin Spraggett
Kevin's blog (parental advisory)
Todays chess tactics will focus largely on games played by the very talented Portuguese IM Rui Damaso. Ruis games are a gold mine of tactical explosions, surprising attacks and subtle finesse. ENJOY!
MYSTERIOUS RESIGNATION?
IM Damaso, Rui
IM Langner, Lad
Arnhem, 1987. The European Júnior Championship. Position after Whites 14th move (14.Rab1). Black had previously captured a pawn on b2a bit dangerous with the Black King still in the centre. Here the Portuguese star thought a whilehe originally was to retreat his Queen to f6 and thenRESIGNED!
WHY DID BLACK RESIGN?
KNIGHT MARE!
IM (corr) Cordovil,J
IM Damaso,Rui
Lisboa, 1990. Position after 12 moves. Damasos opponentJoão Cordovil is also well known in correspondence chess, having reached the quarter final of the World Championships in the 1990′s HERE Black has neglected his development and this gives Damaso the opportunity to bring a quick conclusion to the game.
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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MISCALCULATION
IM Damaso,Rui
GM Miralles, Gilles
Mulhouse (FRA) 1997. Black had just castled, figuring that 15.BxN? wont do because of 15Qd5!, winning back his piece because of the mate threat on g2. IN the position above, White found an idea that convinced Black to resign on the next move!
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
BLOW OUT!
IM Damaso,Rui
Gonzalez, Manuel
Las Palmas, 1996. Position after 16.h3, attacking the Knight. White is already a piece upBUT his King is stuck in the centre of the board. This more than justifies Damasos continuation in the game.
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
MATING ATTACK!
IM Damaso,Rui
Nunes, Jose
Portugal, 1993. Once more White has neglected his development, giving Damaso the opportunity to show his tactical talent in the full. Do you see the idea in the position?
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
IM Rui Damaso, born 1968, is a six-time Champion of Portugal (the latest just last month!), frequent member of the National Team and a FIDE trainer. Rui is one of the most talented players that I have ever met, having wiped out numerous grandmasters and internationally reknown players over the years. Always a dangerous adversary, it is a pity that he has never shown the necessary consistency to earn the GM-titlein my books he has been GM strength for years!
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KING HUNT
IM Damaso,Rui
Gomes
Camaguey, 1990. Sharp position with Black very active. The White King is floating about where it should not be floatingnot surprisingly, Damaso zeros in on His Majesty
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
RUDE AWAKENING
IM Adla,Diego
IM Damaso,Rui
Villalba,Spain. 1993. Position after Whites 22nd move (22.Nd5?) White, attacking the Bishop on e4, seems to have everything undercontrol and his pieces ready to respond to any threat. Unfortunately for the Portuguese international, his last move allows a trick that did not previously exist!
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
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PRECISION
Lima,Paulo
IM Damaso,Rui
Portuguese Team Championship, 1995. Position after 21 moves. White has an obvious advantage and numerous ideas of how to proceed. Complicating this decision is the Bishop on c2 and the fact that the Black King can find refuge in the centre (e7). Ok, these are small potatoes to fry compared to the obstacles that Black is actually facing
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH BLACK!
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WILD HORSES AND EVEN WILDER ROOKS
IM Damaso,Rui
Blanco,Jorge
Las Palmas, 1997. Position after Whites 17th move (17.b4). Of course, you dont need to be a grandmaster to realize that Black stands better, but you definitely need to be one to win with as much elegance as Rui demonstrates here!
17Nxe4! 18.fxe4 Nc2+!!
Taking the second Knight gets mated in two moves.
19.Kd1 Ne3+! 20.Ke2
20Rf2+!!
If now 21.Kxf2 Nd1+!! 22.Kg2 Qf2+ 23.Kh3 Qf1+ 24.Kg4 h5+ etc
21.Ke1Qb5! 22.d3 Rxd3 23.Bxe3
23.. Rf1+! 24.Kxf1 Rd1+! 0-1
It is mate next move! Brilliant!
SOLUTIONS
Langner,LDamaso,R : Black resigned because there is nothing to do about 15.Rxb7! For exemple, 14Qxc2 15.Rxb7!! Bxb7 16.Bb5+ etc. Relatively best would be 14Qf6 15.Rxb7!! Rc8 only 16.Rxa7 best 16 Qd8 17.Qc5! Bd7 18.Qd4 Rf8 19.Rd1 and Blacks position is untenable.
Damaso,RCordovil,J: 13.Ne5!! 1-0 Black loses the proverbial house.
Miralles, Damaso,R : 15.c4! 1-0 The Queen is cutoff and Bd2 (winning the Queen) is threatened. The best Black can do is limit his loss to a piece.
Gonzalez, MDamaso,R : 16 Nxf2! Winning in all lines. The game , however, ended abruptly after 17.Qe1?! Nxd3 0-1
Nunes,JDamaso ,R: 26Rxb4! 27.Qa6 ( 27.cxb4 Qb6+ ) Bc5+ 28.Kh1( 28.Kf1 Qf8+ 29.Ke2 Qf2+ ) Nf2+ 29.Kg1 Ne4+ 30.Kh1( 30.Kf1 Qf8+ ) Nxg3+ 31.hxg3 Qh4+ 0-1 It is mate next move
GomezDamaso,R: 18 Rxb2!! This classic sacrífice wins by force. 19.Qxb2 Ng4+ 20.Kg3 Qd6+ 21.f4 Bxd4 22.Rd3 Nf2 0-1
Damaso,RAdla, Diego: 22 Bxh2+! 23.Kxh2 Bxg2!! Winning. The White Kingside is ripped open. 24.Kxg2 Qg5+25.Kh1 Rf3 0-1
Damaso,RLima,Paulo: 22.Ng6+!! 1-0. Taking the Knight is answered by 23.Bxf6 and Black is defenceless. Playing instead 22Ke8 gets mated after 23.Qf8+ etc.
Other posts by GM Kevin Spraggett:
Ode to the Kings's Gambit
Good news for old chess players
Lothar Schmid
Chess un-plugged!
Deceptively simple chess
Erich Eliskases
Robert Byrne
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