Chess lesson: castle early, while you still can!
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
The recently completed Panamerican Championship saw some interesting chess. Below is one of my favourite’s. Black ”forgot” to find the time to castle…
POSITION AFTER BLACK’S 16th MOVE
Something has gone terribly wrong for Black in the opening…the Sicilian–when it backfires–really BACKFIRES. Here Zapata sensed the moment was right for a sacrifice to expose the Black monarch hiding in the centre.
Now the most precise way to win is 20. Bg5! Re8 21. Rxe8 Kxe8 22. Qxd6 Bf5 23. Qe5 ch Be6 24. Rc7 etc. However, Zapata’s method is no less deadly:
Instead Alonso ”tortured” his opponent a bit longer with 24.RxBch!?. See the whole game below!
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CONTRERAS
ZAPATA
GM Alonso Zapata
Alonso was born 28, August 1958 in Colombia and has been one of South America’s top players for more than 2 decades. Zapata was awarded the International Master (IM) title in 1980 and the GM title in 1984
He finished second at the 16th World Junior at Innsbruck in 1977 (the winner was Arthur Yusupov). Winner of many international tournaments (he has participated many times in opens in the US), Zapata was Colombian Champion in 1980, 1981, 1995 (joint), 1996, 2000, and 2002. As well, Zapata played eleven times for Colombia in the Chess Olympiads (1978–1992, 1996–1998, and 2002).
17. Nxe5! dxe5 18. Rxe5ch Kd7
Worse would be 18… Be7 19. d6 Be6 20. Rc7; or 18… Kd8 19. Bg5 Kd7 20. d6
Worse would be 18… Be7 19. d6 Be6 20. Rc7; or 18… Kd8 19. Bg5 Kd7 20. d6
All Black needs is one move inorder to consolidate his position. However, Zapata is one of the finest attackers today and he finds the key resource to render Black’s position defenceless
19. d6! (threatening Rc7ch winning the Queen) …Bxd6
20. Rd5!? Re8?! 21. Rxd6 Ke7 22. Qd4!
Beautiful centralization! It is not surprising that Black is going to be mated…
22… Be6 23. Bg5 f6
Now White can deliver a mate in 4: 24. Rd7! ch Qxd7 25. Qxf6ch Kd6 26. Qf4ch Kd5 27. Qd4#
Instead Alonso ”tortured” his opponent a bit longer with 24.RxBch!?. See the whole game below!
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