Energetic attacking play!
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
The game below is an excellent example of the kind of talent that is coming up in Spain. My friend and former team-mate , Juan Mellado, is an experienced and battle-hardened IM who did not play the opening with great precision against his 13-year old opponent and soon found himself undeveloped and with his King still uncastled. His opponent started a sacrificial attack that never once let Mellado off the hook!
Miguel Santos Ruiz (l) vs IM Juan Mellado (r)
I recommend the readers play over this miniature several times. It is instructive and very pretty. ALSO, remember the name Miguel Santos Ruiz: you are going to hear a LOT more about him in the near future!
POSITION AFTER 11 MOVES:
im Mellado,Juan
Santos Ruiz,Miguel (13 years old!)
12. Nf5!!
The start of a very strong attack!
Taking the Knight exposes the King to a viscious attack along the e-file: 12… exf5 13. Nd5! Qa5 what else? 14. c3! Be7 15. e5! most precise 15… Kf8 16. Nxe7! Nxe7 17. exf6 gxf6 18. Qd6 etc; Declining with 12… g6 allows 13. Bg3 followed by 14.Nd6+
Mellado tries to reduce White’s attacking pieces:
12…Bxc3!? 13.PxB
How should Black defend?
Once more taking the Knight goes under the knife: 13… exf5 14. exf5+ Ne7 15. Qg4! ( even stronger than 15. Bg3 which would only win back the piece) 15… Bb7 16. Rxe7+! Kxe7 17. Qxg7+ etc; Not taking with 13… g6 once more is insufficient: 14. Nd6+ Ke7 (14… Kf8 15. Qd4) 15. e5! and Black will not last long.
Mellado defends creatively, hoping to shake the youngster’s resolve:
13…Kf8!?
14. Bg3! Qc6 15. Bd6+ Kf7
16. Nxg7!!
Black gets no rest! Ruiz shows great attacking mastery!
16…Kxg7[16… Ne7 17. Qf3 is no better] 17. Qg4+ Kf7 18. Qh5+ Kg7 19.Rad1!
Defending the Bishop and preparing to lift a Rook into play along the 3rd rank
19…Bb7!? 20. Re3!
Threatening mate in one move! Black is reduced to desperate measures
20…Qxe4
Here the youngster took the Queen and won handily. HOWEVER, even faster would be 21.Rg3+! and after 21…Qg6 22.RxQ+ PxR 23.Bf8+!
You can see how the game finished in the pgn viewer
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The 38th edition of the Sevilla International Open , taking place between the 11th and the 19th of January, is one of Spain’s most prestigious annual chess events.